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THE YOUNG STUDENT: 


OR 



iitrant Remains 


OF 


J. ZIMMEEMAN JOHNSON, 


WITH A BRIEF SKETCH OF HIS LIFE, 


BY HIS FATHER. 


“Lil other tyrants, Death delights to smite 
What smitten, most proclaims the pride of power 
And arbitrary nod. His joy supreme 
To bid the wretch survive the fortunate, 

The feeble wrap the athletic in his shroud, 

And weeping fathers build their children’s tombs.” 


EDITED BY J. NEWTON BROWN, D,. D. 


-p Ij 1 1 a & z I p f) i u : 


J. A. WAGENSELLER, 23 NORTH SIXTH STREET. 

1 8 6 5. 



Ac 8 

.Js3 


COPYRIGHT SECURED ACCORDING TO LAW. 






EDITOR’S PREFACE. 


The following materials have been put into my 
hands by an afflicted father, to prepare them for 
the Press. To this preparation the work of the 
Editor has been chiefly confined, including both 
the Remains and the Memoir which accompanies 
them. Here, of course, his responsibility ends. 
This duty he has performed to the best of his 
ability. He has but a word or two more to add 
by way of explanation. 

There were circumstances connected with the 
death of this young man at the University at 
Lewisburg, that induced his father to give this 
selection from his writings to the public. It 
cannot indeed be expected that the life of one 
brought up in the retirement of the country, and 
cut off prematurely in his Freshman year at Col¬ 
lege, should have in it much to command the 
attention of the public. Yet every life has its 
mission. And it is believed that those who shall 
feel an interest in reading these Remains of his 
blossoming genius, will be desirous to know some- 
3 



4 


editor’s preface. 


thing of the life of their Author. It was partly 
to gratify this natural curiosity, but still more in 
the hope that the beautiful and touching lesson 
which his short life teaches, may, through the 
blessing of Grod, be made more widely useful, 
that his father’s hand has gathered these brief 
memorials. 

There is a voice that speaks to the young from 
the early grave of J. Zimmerman Johnson. His 
fullness of manly promise, and the affecting sud¬ 
denness of his departure, in the midst of his 
fellow-students, and ,in the glow of excitement 
attending the examination of the closing term, 
will not be easily forgotten. It was only ten 
days before his death that he wrote the Essay, 
(placed first in the Remains,) the title of which, 
as unconsciously prophetic of the change that 
awaited him, is now inscribed upon his tomb. 

J. K B. 


Philadelphia, January, 1865 . 




CONTENTS. 


page 4 

MEMOIR,.7 

LITERARY REMAINS, . . 39 

Post Tenebras, Lux, . . '. 41 

Devotion of American Women to 

Freedom, .... 45 

Local Associations, ... 55 

On Secret Societies, ... 58 

American Slavery, . . . G4 

Covetousness, . . . . 71 

Changes of Earth, ... 74 

Laurel Hill, .... 85 

Red, White, and Blue, ... 88 

Importance of an Aim in Life, . 94 

True Conquests, . . . .100 

Rebellion and Loyalty, . . 105 

Discretion, . . . . 109 

Knowledge, * . . . . 113 

Theory of Teaching, . . . 115 

Importance of Preserving Health, 117 ' 

Dr. Joseph Priestley, . . .122 

The Smithsonian Institution, ; 127 

5 




6 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

Hatred, . . . . .132 

Love, . . • . • I 36 

The Christian Soldier, . . .138 

American Valor, . . . 144 

Home, ..... 146 

Poetry of Youth and of Age, . 149 

A Satire on the Rage for Oil 

Speculation, . . . .150 

Time, ..... 152 

APPENDIX,.155 

Temperance, Morality, Religion, . 157 

Mirror for the Young, . . .160 

The World as it is, . . . 162 

The Attributes of God, . . .164 

Authenticity of the Bible, . . 166 

On Universal Salvation, . . 170 

Scenes of Calvary, . . . 177 



MEMOIR 


In writing a brief notice of the Author of those 
Essays which compose the ground-work of this 
volume, there are awakened feelings which a 
father cannot express, and which only a father 
who has experienced a similar bereavement can 
fully realize. To him it appears one of those 
special dispensations of Providence, in which 

“God moves in a mysterious way 
His wonders to perform. ’ ’ 

It is true that we are all subject to death, at 
all times and under all circumstances, yet such 
special dispensations seem sent for the accom¬ 
plishment of some wise and significant purpose 
of our merciful Heavenly Father. When death 
comes to the young, they do not appear to meet 
it with so much reluctance as the middle-aged, 
who are immersed in the business of the world, 
and absorbed in the cares and perplexities of an 
active life. Hence, if we have reason to believe 
them prepared for a better world, it is our duty 
to submit, and to say with the Patriarch of Uz, 
“ The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: 

7 



8 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


blessed be the name of the Lord I” Where such 
evidence is wanting, it is true, a parent might be 
impelled to say with David, “ Would to God that 
I had died for thee, my son, my son,” and who 
could blame the yearning of the stricken heart ? 

Jesse Zimmerman Johnson was the only son, 
by his first marriage, of Jesse Johnson, of Lower 
Providence, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. 
The family trace their descent from the Jansens 
of Holland, some of whom, in the time of the 
Reformation of the sixteenth century, by their 
enlightened and heroic faith attained the honor 
of martyrdom.* Jjate in the next century, seve¬ 
ral of the name emigrated to this country, and 
settled in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, bring¬ 
ing with them the principles of pure religion for 
which their forefathers had suffered, and which 
it was their aim to perpetuate among their de¬ 
scendants. During the last century, in conse- 

*Ellert Jansen, a tailor, was confined in prison at 
Amsterdam, in 1549, with about twenty others, under 
sentence of death “ for being re-baptized and having 
wrong notions of the sacraments,” that is to say, for 
being Baptists. Most of this company of Christian 
confessors were assisted, by sympathizing friends, to 
make their escape ; but Jansen, being lame, declined 
the attempt, saying, “ I am now so well satisfied to be 
offered up, and feel myself at present so happy, that I 
do not expect to be hereafter better prepared.” This 
noble martyr, together with seven others, was burnt at 
the stake, March 20, 1549. As he was going to execu¬ 
tion he cried out, “ This is the most joyful day in my 
whole life .”—Baptist Martyrs. 



MEMOIR. 


9 


quence of intermarriage with English families, 
they dropped altogether the use of the Dutch 
language, and with it the ancient spelling of the 
family name, which now became Johnson. They 
were generally farmers, and persons of good re¬ 
pute in the community, for honesty, industry and 
piety.* 


* The following note may be interesting to many, 
especially in our large family connection: 

We find four distinguished painters and three emi¬ 
nent divines of the name of Jansen in the early his¬ 
tory of Holland. One of the last was the celebrated 
Jansenius, a reformer in the Church of Rome, to whose 
evangelical views, Pascal and the Port Royalists of 
France attached themselves in the seventeenth cen¬ 
tury, in unflinching opposition to the Jesuits. 

Almost two hundred years ago a colony of persecu¬ 
ted Protestants, chiefly Baptists, emigrated from the 
Netherlands and settled in Pennsylvania, among whom 
were a number of the name of Jansen. Nicolaus, or 
Caas Johnson was prominent among them. He is 
said to have been brought up in the Roman Catholic 
faith, but to have renounced it from clearer light, and 
become eminent among the Dutch Baptists, or, as they 
were called, Mennonites. The year of his emigration 
to this country is unknown. He was born in 1658, 
and died in the Lord 1745, at the age of 87. He was 
twice married, and had thirteen children, Groetgen, 
James, Augenesa, Maria, Egenrant, Margaretha, Eliza¬ 
beth and Catharina, (twins) Margaretha 2d, Petrus, 
Hannah, Nicolaus and Benjamin. All but the first 
Margaretha and Maria survived him, and became heads 
of families. 

His youngest son, Benjamin, was married in 1752, 
and, in 1805, died at the age of 76. His children were 
Rachel, Isaac, John and Peter, (twins) John 2d, Wil¬ 
liam, Joseph, Elizabeth, Catharina, Benjamin, Maria, 
and John 3d. 

The family originally settled in the townships of 



10 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


Jesse Zimmerman Johnson was born Nov. 23d, 
1839, He was the child of many prayers The 
maiden name of his mother was Esther Zimmer¬ 
man. She died in 1842, at the age of 37, having 
been the mother of eight children, seven daugh¬ 
ters and one son, Jesse Zimmerman, the subject 

Skippack and Perkiomen, in Montgomery county, and 
by intermarriages, on both the male and female side, 
have become numerous, and are spread through every 
part of the State and of the Union. One branch set¬ 
tled near Pittsburg about a hundred years ago. Sixty 
years ago, I remember their paying us a visit in their 
native county of Montgomery. Another branch set¬ 
tled in Berks county, another in the south-western 
part of the State, They all now go by the name of 
Johnson. 

Jacob Johnson, of the second generation, was the 
son of Caas or Nicolaus. Joseph Johnson, born 
1760, was the son of Benjamin of the third generation. 
Jesse Johnson was the son of Joseph of the fourth 
generation. Jesse Zimmerman, (the subject of the 
Memoir above) was the son of Jesse. 

The writer of this note remembers his grandfather 
Benjamin Johnson very well, being his oldest grand¬ 
child and therefore quite a favorite with him. He al¬ 
ways took me along with him when fishing or visiting, 
aod entertained me with stories of his early life. lie 
told where the Indians’ wigwams stood, where they 
made baskets, and how they went about to exchange 
them for something to eat, and showed me many spe¬ 
cimens of their workmanship. He said it was their 
custom, when they emigrated, to leave behind them 
the very old and infirm, lest they should give out on 
the Way and be left behind to perish. He said further 
it was not uncommon even to kill them to be rid of the 
burden of their support. In our fishing excursions he 
would tell how the shad came up in the Spring befote 
there were any mill dams over the streams ; how the 



MEMOIR. 


11 


of this Memoir. He was the youngest child of 
his mother. Her joy at the birth of a son was 
so great that it was uttered in a shout of thanks¬ 
giving. She was taken away when he was but 
two years and a half old, but the influence of her 
example and prayers was not lost. She was a 


people formerly had to go as far as Philadelphia to get 
their grinding done, and also to vote at elections. By 
such stories the time passed very pleasantly. He 
would also bait my fishhooks, and contrive always to 
have the largest number of fish on my string. 

For the gratification of the young of the present 
generation of our connections, I will add a few more 
words on our family genealogy. Benjamin Johnson, 
my grandfather, married into the James family, be¬ 
longing to a Welsh Baptist colony, who settled in 
Bucks county, and on the borders of Montgomery. 
He had five sons and four daughters, who all lived to 
old age. By this marriage our branch of the family 
lost the use of the old Low Dutch language. The 
names of his children were Isaac, William, John, Peter 
and Joseph, Rachel, Elizabeth and Catharine, one 
dying young. 

Isaac was married, but left no issue. William married 
into the Zimmerman family, and had three sons, 
Isaac, Benjamin and Jacob, and one daughter, Mary. 
Joseph (my father) married into the Roberts family, 
and had two sons, Jesse and David, and one daughter, 
Martha. Peter and John both married, and have a 
numerous progeny. The three daughters of Benjamin 
Johnson married into the families of the Culp, Cas- 
sels and Thomas. Their descendants are numerous in 
the townships of Skippack, Worcester and the neigh- 
boring townships. Others have emigrated to the West 
and different parts of the State. Three, William, 
Joseph and Catharine, lie buried in the Lower Provi¬ 
dence Baptist burial ground. 

William was one of the constituent members of that 



12 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


very pious woman, and esteemed by all who 
knew her. Her death-bed scene will not be easi- 


church, and a worthy deacon until his death. He was 
one among the few who exemplify their religion in 
their lives, both in word and action. He was a man 
whom everybody acquainted with him had to respect. 
His visits seemed like those of an angel from heaven. 
The writer remembers him well. Never will he forget 
his good advice and admonitions when apparently lying 
at the point of death. His words were those .of richest 
consolation. Would to God that we could say as much 
of all who hold that sacred office. 

Isaac lived in the cityof Philadelphia. Pie was a 
deacon of the Second Baptist Church, and is buried in 
the ground attached to that Meeting House. He was 
a man of some note in the city in his day. He served 
as a representative in the Legislature of the State, 
when Lancaster was the State capital. 

Peter acted as justice of the peace in his native town¬ 
ship, for a long time. The rest were farmers and manu¬ 
facturers. "They lived in their day, a very peaceful li’fe, 
employed much of their time in family visits to their 
connections, and spent the long winter evenings in in¬ 
structing their families, singing hymns, and reading 
the Bible, especially on Sunday evenings. There were 
then no Sunday-schools. But good people in those 
days considered it their duty to call their children to¬ 
gether to read the account of the creation of the 
world, the history of Joseph, and various other por¬ 
tions of the Bible. Those who could read, were oblig¬ 
ed to stand up and read a verse alternately, one after 
the other. Thus parents sought to fulfill the injunc¬ 
tion : “ Train up a child in the way he should go, and 
when he is old he will not depart from it.” 

I never shall forget the lemark of an aged minister 
who used to visit at our house when I was a child. A 
number of us boys were playing together, and as the 
man of God passed along, he laid his hand on my head 
and said : This is a little bee hive, and if you do not 
fill it with honey, the Devil will fill it with wax.” 



MEMOIR. 


13 


ly forgotten. She seemed to have supernatural 
strength given her before her departure. Call¬ 
ing her children around her bed, she bade them 
all farewell, giving them directions how to con¬ 
duct themselves, how to serve God, and take care 
of their little brother. 

The young reader, it may bo presumed, will be 
anxious to know what became of the little moth¬ 
erless boy. After the death of his mother, every 
attention was paid to him by his young sisters, by 
kind aunts and neighbors, and by his father, that 
is common under such an afflicting Providence. 
He was always a very healthy child, and soon 
became able to take care of himself. He was the 
pride of the family. He became much attached 
to his father, and was a great comfort to him 
amidst the cares of life. From four years of age 
his thirst for knowledge was great. As soon as 
he was old enough, he was sent to school. His 
first teacher was Mr. Samuel Bartlett, a pious 
young man, who boarded in his father’s family. 
He was then four years and a halt old. His at¬ 
tachment to the school was so .great that he 
would go if he had to be carried there, the school 
being about half a mile distant. At five years of 
age he commenced going to the Sunday School, 
and his seat was always filled, unless the weather 
prevented. He was very quick in learning the 
Scriptures and hymns by heart. He always, 
from a child, seemed to speak and act as one 
who had the fear of God before his eyes. 


14 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


As he grew older, he became the centre of a 
circle of young people of both sexes in the neigh¬ 
borhood, in their Literary Societies, Singing So¬ 
cieties, and other social meetings. They met 
together and passed their evenings in these plea¬ 
sant and improving exercises; and especially by 
singing, sought to qualify themselves for carrying 
on that delightful part of the worship of God in 
the church. Among these young persons, he 
went familiarly by the name of “Deacon,” on ac¬ 
count of his serious though cheerful deportment, 
and the superior weight attached to his judgment. 
He was always very punctual in his attendance 
on Divine Worship, and ever ready to gear up the 
horse and take his sisters to meeting. He seemed 
interested in all the concerns of religion, and en¬ 
couraged others to do likewise, and we have 
every reason to think that he was converted at a 
very early age. Certainly we must judge of a 
tree by its fruits. What his habits of secret de¬ 
votion were can only thus be discovered. He 
always took sides in favor of the truth of Christi¬ 
anity, and defended its doctrines. He was a 
strong advocate for Human Eights, a friend of 
the poor and down-trodden of the earth. In the 
family he always seemed to have an influence in 
maintaining harmony and sociability. It ap¬ 
pears also that this was his general character 
and deportment through life. 

It was the wish of his father that he would 


MEMOIR. 


15 


take charge of the farm, and make that his busi¬ 
ness. From the age of fifteen to nineteen he 
worked on the farm in summer, but went to 
school in winter. He then commenced teaching, 
and for two years conducted a school in a neigh¬ 
boring district, but boarded at home. As a 
teacher, he was respected and loved by his schol¬ 
ars. But his thirst for knowledge could not be 
satisfied in this capacity, although ho possessed 
every qualification necessary for success. At the 
age of twenty-two he made up his mind to take 
a College Course, which he commenced in the 
Spring of 1863, at Lewisburg University, Union 
county, Pennsylvania. 

On his first arrival, he wrote the following let¬ 
ter to his friends, in which he gives his first im¬ 
pressions of the place, and of the noble institu¬ 
tion there established: 

Lewisburg Academy , April 22 d, 1863. 

Dear Friends, —I am well and comfortably quartered 
among friends at Lewisburg, I arrived here on Mon¬ 
day evening, about six o’clock, after a safe and pleas¬ 
ant journey. It rained all the afternoon, but as I was 
in the dry nearly all the time I did not mind it much. 
We left Plioenixville about half past nine o’clock, and 
kept the Reading road to Port Clinton. There we 
took another road to Tamaqua, where we changed 
car 3 and took the Catawissa route to Milton, which is 
situated four miles from Lewisburg. There I took the 
stage to this place. 

Lewisburg is situated on the west bank of the West 


16 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


Branch of the Susquehanna, in a pleasant valley over¬ 
looked by hills all round, except on the river side. It 
is a very quiet little town, of about four thousand in¬ 
habitants. There is nothing very remarkable about 
the town, neither is it very handsome. The buildings 
in general are rather small, but built in a very neat 
style. Standing on the hill I can count some six or 
eight church spires towering high in the air. They are 
of nearly all denominations, and some of them are 
very fine buildings. 

The University is situated in the centre of a grove, 
on the top of a hill that slopes down to the edge of 
the river. The buildings are situated about two hun¬ 
dred yards from the river. They are very large and 
well adapted to the purpose for which they were erected. 
They consist of one large central edifice, with two 
wings. It is a four story building, well ventilated, 
heated and lighted, and furnishes nearly every accom¬ 
modation for the pupil. The Professors are very gentle¬ 
manly, and exert all their influence and energy, seem¬ 
ingly, for its prosperity. The students have not all 
arrived yet, but will nearly all be in by this evening. 
A number of new scholars have already come in. 

Last night I attended a Loyal Union League in Lew- 
isburg. Some 600 or 700 persons were present, a con¬ 
siderable number of whom were.ladies. The meeting 
was addressed by a Mr. Reese, Presiding Elder of the 
Methodist Church. He is an eloquent speaker, a 
staunch Union man, a firm supporter of the Adminis¬ 
tration, and as bitter a denunciator of secession, rebel¬ 
lion and treason—whether they present themselves as 
armed foes in the South, or as copperheads and sym¬ 
pathizers in the North—as ever I heard speak on the 
subject. I will tell you more about him another time. 


MEMOIR. 


17 


The general sentiment here is in favor of supporting 
the Government. J. z. J. 

Hardly three months elapsed in this delightful 
seat of learning before the memorable invasion 
of Pennsylvania by the Rebel army, under Gen¬ 
eral Lee, broke in upon his studies. All the 
young men in the College, together with their 
Professors, responded at once to the call of the 
Governor, and flew to the defence of their coun¬ 
try and-their native soil. Several letters of this 
interesting period, are preserved. The first is 
dated, 

Camp Curtin , June 23c?, 1863. 

Dear Friends, —As you see, we are still near Harris¬ 
burg. We came to Camp Curtin on Saturday fore¬ 
noon, and pitched our tents on the west corner of the 
Camp. We drew our rations early in the afternoon, and 
strutted round, like turkey gobblers, the rest of the 
day. We have the large Wall (or officers’) Tent, which 
will accommodate ten persons. They are very nice 
and comfortable. We have board floors, an abundant 
supply of blankets and other clothing, and are con¬ 
sequently very well situated. On Sunday morning we 
nearly all attended the New School Presbyterian 
Church, and in the evening the Old School. The lat¬ 
ter has one of the finest churches in the State. The 
Baptists have a nicely finished church in Harrisburg, 
but are without a pastor. Our boys preached for them 
morning and evening, and affronted some of the cop¬ 
perheads so that they left the church. The officers 
of our company are as follows: Captain T. R. Jones, 
Lieutenant D. N. Nesbit, Second Lieutenant Prof. 


18 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


James, of the University, Orderly Sergeant, Owen 
Eaches, of Phcenixville. The other officers are nearly 
all students. We form company A, of the 28th Regi¬ 
ment, commanded by Colonel Chamberlin, an officer 
who has served in different capacities, in the army, 
since the opening of the war. He bears an excellent 
reputation as an officer and as a gentleman. Our Cap¬ 
tain is one of the finest Kind of men, and pays every 
attention to having us well supplied with all that is 
needed for our comfort. We have not drawn our arms 
yet, but will, in all probability, get them to-day. Two 
regiments left Camp Curtin yesterday, fully armed and 
equipped, and, as we are the next organized regiment, 
our turn will come next. We shall not go far, how¬ 
ever, until the whole force is armed and equipped, 
and in fighting trim. As Camp Curtin is full, those 
that are organized go to the opposite side of the river, 
and encamp for drill. As Camp Curtin is only an or¬ 
ganizing camp, and not a very inviting place, I hope 
we shall soon be removed to some other place. The 
whole available space in camp is covered with tents, 
which is about twenty acres. There are a great many 
troops here, some five or six New York regiments, and 
the remainder Pennsylvanians. The hills on the op¬ 
posite side are all dotted with tents, and the whole, 
when properly organized, will constitute a large and 
efficient division in the service. Judging from the ex¬ 
pressions we hear, they are ready and willing to meet 
the foe. 

There are some of the meanest men in Harrisburg 
that I ever met, copperhead Democrats of the blackest 
dye, some who actually refuse a drink of water to 
thirsty soldiers. While we leave everything, to come 
and protect them, they stay at home, growling, and 


MEMOIR. 


19 


cheating soldiers out of their money, charging double 
and treble prices for everything we want. They have 
no consciences, and are too mean to live. The New 
York boys curse them as they deserve, and a load of 
shot would not be too good for some of them. 

Last evening four or five batteries came out to camp 
and drew out in regular line of battle. Also several bag¬ 
gage trains came for transportation of baggage, tents, 
&c. Everything wears a warlike appearance. Martial 
music is playing continually, as the troops march in 
and out of camp, and regiments draw up in line. Flags 
flying, and pickets stationed all around, remind us we 
are preparing for war. Our boys are all in good spirits, 
and enjoy camp life very much. It is a striking 
change, this going from college to camp. But we 
weighed the matter well in our minds before going. 
We deemed it our duty to go, and are willing to un¬ 
dergo the hardships of camp, if our services will be 
beneficial in protecting our homes. Men engaged in 
farming cannot leave their homes at this season of the 
year ; therefore the duty must devolve on the citizens, 
mechanics, students and others, whose business at 
home is not so urgent. 

I think, by the preparations making, we shall see 
some service, in all probability, and it is not likely we 
shall be discharged under three months. But, be that 
as it may, I am willing to stay as long as this emer¬ 
gency lasts, or the State is in danger of invasion, if it 
is three years. We get very good rations, and plenty 
of them, but do not fix up very extra nice, because we 
expect to move every day. The life of a soldier is 
not half so bad, as many would imagine. But it de¬ 
pends much upon each one’s individual exertions. If 
he is careless and indifferent in regard to his manner 
2 


20 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


of eating, sleeping, or apparel, he must consequently 
sometimes suffer. But if careful of these things, he 
will seldom have grounds of complaint, unless of the 
incapacity of officers, &c. The U. S. Government fur¬ 
nishes a plentiful supply of everything conducive to 
the comfort of the soldiers. There are many luxuries 
it would be pleasant to enjoy, but in nine cases out of 
ten, I believe, the men are better without them than 
with them. I suppose if things prove successful our 
term of service will soon expire, but I make no pre¬ 
dictions. Our company bears a good reputation wher¬ 
ever we have been, and we^receive recruits almost daily. 

Yesterday Prof. Wynn, Principal of Lewisburg Acad¬ 
emy, joined us as a private. He is a very good man, 
and we all think a great deal of him. 

If our term of service expires soon, I shall return to 
Lewisburg. If not, I shall come straight home, and 
have my clothes forwarded by express. My messmate 
is Mr. Orlando Spratt, son of the Baptist clergyman 
of that name. We cook and eat together. We go 
over the mountain every day, and gather raspberries, 
which we cook with sugar, of which we get a liberal 
supply, and make a delicious sauce for our hard tack 
and fresh bread. These berries abound over the moun¬ 
tains, and are of a fine quality. We relish them ex¬ 
ceedingly. I will send you a description of the post 
where we have been quartered, written with a lead 
pencil. Get Albert to read it for you. 

The first night we were on this post the rebs made a 
reconnoisance too near us, but were probably warned 
of their fate if they advanced. Several rebel spies 
have been captured here. No more at present. Write 
soon, as I shall wait anxiously a reply. 

Yours,. 


J. Z. J. 


MEMOIR. 


21 


Kittatinny House , Monday , June 29 th, 1863 . 

Dear F riends, —This is the first chance I have had 
for writing since I wrote last, which was near a week 
ago. We left Camp Curtin the day I wrote, and since 
that time we have experienced as hard times as soldier 
boys would care about. From Camp Curtin we march¬ 
ed over the dustiest route we ever saw, and, as many 
troops were in motion, the dust was almost suffocating. 
We halted at Fort Couch, on the eminence opposite 
Harrisburg. We pitched tents for the night. The 
next morning it rained, and we were kept in our tents 
till about two o’clock, when we received orders to 
strike tents and march immediately. This was done 
in a short time, and we were on the march through 
the mud. We marched only about a mile and en¬ 
camped in a clover field, pitched our tents and- got 
straw in them. Our regiment worked in the entrench¬ 
ments of Fort Washington all night, working four 
hours and resting four. Next morning a party of con¬ 
trabands took our places there. Before noon we drilL 
ed. In the afternoon we were detailed to complete 
some rifle pits on Fort Couch. We marched back and 
worked two hours. Dress parade in the evening. Rested 
all night. Next morning the regiment was drawn up 
in line for a reconnoisance. We started up the Cumber - 
land Valley, went about a mile, when an aid came up, 
and we found our order countermanded, and went 
back to camp. Three companies. A, E, and H, were 
then detailed for picket duty. We were marched up 
the river about eight miles. Companies E and H were 
detailed for duty, and A was held in reserve, but not 
long. For soon an order came for twenty-five men 
from our company to picket and obstruct a road on 


22 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


the top of a ridge of the Blue Mountains, and hold 
our position at all hazards. This was deemed advisa¬ 
ble, as this post is about the same distance from Car¬ 
lisle as from Harrisburg ; and as the Harrisburg route is 
strongly fortified, it was thought probable that the 
rebs might strike for this point, which is the first 
bridge above Harrisburg. The position we are to hold 
is the most important one of this division, but it is 
very difficult of access. The mountain is a mile and a 
half high. This we have to climb. It is almost as 
steep as a house roof. We clambered up last evening, 
picketed all the night, were relieved by another squad 
this morning, and came down. We are entirely con¬ 
cealed from view, and have the road of access block¬ 
aded, and could pick off men as fast as you please, 
without being discovered. But I think the difficulty 
is so great to get artillery up, which is all that will be 
of service to the enemy, they will never attempt to 
scale it. I suppose after we get the road effectually 
blockaded we shall be removed to another point. 

I could hear cannonading nearly all night last night. 
We have received no definite news as to where it was ; 
but it is rumored that the citizens of Columbia burned 
the bridge at that point, and the rebels shelled the 
town. I have no doubt that Harrisburg will be at¬ 
tacked before forty-eight hours. The fortifications 
built for its defence are very strong, and the rebs will 
meet with a warm reception. . . I think that the 

crisis is approaching, and that Pennsylvania will be 
the seat of the next battle field. 

The refugees have been coming up the valley for a 
week past. Long trains come together, and for the last 
three days the roads leading to Harrisburg have been 
lined with them. They bring with them all their 


MEMOIR. 


23 


horses, some cattle, and generally all the grain they 
can bring. The crops along the valley are ready to 
cut, but no one is at work. Some grass is cut, but 
never attended to, and I do not think there will be 
any harvesting done. The crops are generally very 
good. The people of Harrisburg are all moving out 
also. If these persons would only take their muskets 
instead of running away, and organize into companies, 
the rebs would soon be driven out of the State. But 
they are all perfectly panic-stricken. Ho cars run on 
this (south) side of the river now, and everything is 
moved to the Harrisburg side that is movable. 

People along the route, wherever we march, are very 
kind. The ladies bring us aprons-full of bread, butter 
and pies, which are very acceptable. We carry three 
days rations and fifty rounds of cartridges with us all 
the time, and sleep on our arms. I stand it all first- 
rate, and feel much stronger, and more able to endure 
a march to-day than when we left college. The sun 
was hard on U3 at first, but we are now used to that. I 
had no idea that our college boys could have endured 
the hardships we have undergone. But they all look 
better than they did, and stand it like veterans. We 
do our own cooking. I got dinner for oui mess to-day. 
It was a splendid one. We had coffee, fried pork, and 
hard tack, fried potatoes and boiled rice, with plenty 
of sugar. We live finely, I can assure you. I have re¬ 
ceived no news~from home since I left Lewisburg, ex¬ 
cept the “ Republican.” J. Z. J. 

Eagle's Nest, July 2d, 1863. 

Dear Father,—I received your welcome letter this 
afternoon, and was very glad to hear from home again, 
and much more to hear that you are all in the enjoy- 


24 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


ment of health. For myself I am very well at pre¬ 
sent, and enjoy camp life very much. We have a 
good company of fellows, get plenty of good rations to 
eat, and sleep just where we please. I prefer sleeping 
on the ground out doors, to inside the tent, when the 
weather is clear. The life of a soldier is not the worst 
life after all. . . . 


Jackson Block House , July 3 d, 1863. 

Dear Father, — .... To-day we moved our 

guard twice, but did not get a mile from our original 
position. We are now quartered in a block house, 
built at the west end of Kittattiny, or Pennsylvania 
Central Railroad, Bridge. It is built of heavy logs, 
two stories high, with crevices for shooting out at an 
approaching enemy, in any direction they may ap¬ 
proach the bridge. It is a very stormy night, but we 
are as comfortably quartered as we should be at home 
in our beds. 

The troops at this point have nearly all been remov¬ 
ed, to follow in pursuit of the retreating rebels. I 
have no predictions to present as to how long we shall 
remain at this place. It is probable we shall be sent 
to rejoin our regiment soon. They have been in two 
fights already, on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. 
They came out of both engagements very fortunately, 
by all reports. 

The reports of to day, I think, show that our cause 
has been decidedly successful. I believe the crisis is 
at hand that will try our manhood, but I confidently 
believe that all is working advantageously. General 
Meade’s army is equal, if not superior, to that of Gen¬ 
eral Lee, and, by the latest accounts, is in the right 
position to engage him. When assisted by General 


MEMOIR. 


25 


Heintzelman and by General Couch, with 50,000 men 
following him down the valley, I hope, trust and be¬ 
lieve that the rebel army will never reach Virginia, 
except with decimated and shattered ranks, or else be 
utterly defeated and routed in its road. 

To-morrow is our National Birth-day, the day on 
which our forefathers dedicated this soil to Freedom. 
May there be a re-dedication on this anniversary that 
will cheer our hearts, bring rebels back to their allegi¬ 
ance, and plant the Stars and Stripes over all the ter¬ 
ritory of our loved land. 

I believe that there will be a desperate effort made 
and a desperate battle fought. On that day may the 
God of battles guide us aright, and prosper our cause. 
Our troops are all confident of success, and ready, as 
well as eager, for the struggle. Let it come. It must 
be decided. Everything depends on the present strug¬ 
gle, for the present and the future generations, even 
down to time the most remote. Every man should 
be willing to lend his support, in any manner it may 
be available, and woe be to that man in the days when 
war and rumors of war are no more, that in the strug¬ 
gle for Liberty withheld his support. His name shall 
descend to history by the side of Judas Iscariot, Bene¬ 
dict Arnold and Jefferson Davis—the most infamous 
of ancient or modern times. 

Evening .—This evening brings us the news of the 
capture of 6000 rebel prisoners, and I hope it may be 
doubled and redoubled before to-morrow evening. I 
think this rain will raise the river so much as to se¬ 
riously impede the rebels in crossing, and thus make 
them fall an easy prey to our army. This is altogether 
a prospecting view of the bright side of the picture. 


26 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


There may probably be a dark side, and all the bright 
fancies that now flit through our imagination be suc¬ 
ceeded by a long and gloomy future ; but still, believ¬ 
ing and knowing that our cause is just, and that a right¬ 
eous God will prosper the right, we should not despond 
nor slacken our ardor, but put our energies into more 
determined action, until,in due time, all must be well. 

I have neither time nor disposition to write more at 
present, but must close, hoping that ere I shall write 
again glorious news of victory may echo through North, 
South, East and West of our free and happy land. 

J. Z. J. 

The hopes of his patriotic spirit were not dis¬ 
appointed. The glorious victory of Gettysburg 
was won by our gallant troops, after three days’ 
desperate fighting with the very pick and flower 
of the rebel armies, commanded by their ablest 
leaders, Lee, Longstreet, Hill, and Ewell. The 
nation was truly re-dedicated to God and Free¬ 
dom on its great Anniversary. From that day 
the fataof the Bebellion and of Slavery was sealed. 

The students were absent on this call of patri¬ 
otism about six weeks. When the retreat of 
General Lee across the Potomac, with his shat¬ 
tered legions, assured the State of safety, they 
were allowed to return. Soon after Zimmer- 
nlan’s return the drafting came off, and he was 
one of the drafted. He concluded, however, to 
pay the commutation, that he might not be de¬ 
tained from completing his course of study. He 
therefore visited all his friends in the nighbor- 


MEMOIR. 


27 


hood of his home, and bidding them farewell, (as 
it turned out, for the last time) returned to Lew- 
isburg. 

lie eiljoyed college life very much, and appears 
to have made rapid progress in his studies, and 
won the atfection and esteem of his Professors, 
his fellow-students and the people of Lewisburg 
generally. He had an extensive correspondence, 
and some few of his letters are here given to the 
public. His design in acquiring a thorough edu¬ 
cation appears to have been to qualify himself 
for usefulness in a higher degree; and, as an All¬ 
wise Providence has ordered that his time should 
be so short in this world, all that he has left of a 
literary character, as the fruit of his studies, is 
herewith given to the public as of right belong¬ 
ing to them, and in the earnest hope that other 
young men may be stimulated to cultivate, to 
the utmost, all the faculties that God has given 
them. This culture it is which makes the man. 

During the Fall term, he wrote the following, 
among other letters, to his friends: 

Lewisburg , Thanksgiving Day , 1863. 

Dear Father, —After having partaken of a bountiful 
feast, of the fat of the land and the delicacies of the 
season, prepared in Lewisburg style, at our boarding 
house, and to which we all did justice, I sit down to 
enjoy an hour by writing to friends at home. 

I received your letter of the 23d, yesterday, with 
the money inclosed. You may forward me the other 


28 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


at any time between now and the close of the term, 
which will be the 23d of December. 

We have a holiday to-day ; all business of a secular 
kind is suspended. This morning union service was 
held in the Lutheran Church. A sermon was preached 
by Dr. Dixon, a Presbyterian clergyman, which was 
truly an intellectual feast. His texts you will find in 
Psalms cvii: 31, and Romans xiii: 1, 2. He is an able 
speaker, and handled his subject well. He is a bold 
and fearless advocate of the rights of freedom and a 
bitter denunciator of oppressive tyranny, a firm sup¬ 
porter of the government, and an ardent opposer of 
its enemies, whether Southern traitors or Northern 
sympathizers. He does not (with some of his ministe¬ 
rial brethren) think that the pulpit is too sacred a 
place to discuss the principles concerning the interest 
and welfare of his country ; but boldly asserts that he 
who omit3 it through fear of giving offence to those 
who are prejudiced, does not do his duty and is not 
worthy the name of his Master. / 

We have a glorious‘report from our army in Tennes¬ 
see, and I am anxiously awaiting the evening papers 
to know if it is confirmed. J. Z. J. 

Hear the latter part of January, 1864, he 
wrote again to his father: 

University at Lewisburg, January 28th, 1864. 

Dear Father,— Yours with the check enclosed was 
received yesterday,' and was very acceptable, as favors 
so substantial as this generally are. I took it to the 
Lewisburg Bank to-day, and had it exchanged for the 
“ready.” 

The weather for the last week has been beautiful, 


MEMOIR. 


29 


although quite unseasonable, and unhealthy on that 
account. It seems like Spring, instead of January, 
and the frost is nearly all out of the ground. 

Produce of all kinds seems scarce, and dear in pro¬ 
portion, through this section. The people complain 
very much of the high prices. Nearly all of our 
boarding houses have raised their prices of boarding, 
but ours has not. I still pay $2,25, the same as I have 
paid previously. 

I am quite well at present, but had a very severe cold 
a few days ago, which I have now got free from. It 
is more healthy here now than it was in the early part 
of the winter. Numerous cases of sickness occurred 
before the holidays ; only one of the students is un¬ 
well now, that is my room-mate. He has been sick for 
more thah a week, and not able to study, but he is im¬ 
proving now, and I expect him back again next week. 

Colonel Montgomery lectured in town Tuesday even¬ 
ing. The President gave us permission to attend the 
lecture, and nearly all attended. It was very enter¬ 
taining and also very instructive. 

You have spoken several times of coming to Lewis- 
burg ; I should like very much to have you come. You 
would no doubt enjoy the trip at any time, but I think 
the visit here would be more agreeable to you during 
a time when there are some public exercises at College. 
At the close of this tferm there are two exhibitions, one 
of the Senior Academic, the other of the Junior Colle¬ 
giate classes; both these will be very entertaining. 
But at the close of the summer term come the regular 
Commencement exercises—graduates’ orations and con¬ 
ferring of diplomas are themselves well worth a visit; 
in connection, the prize orations are delivered, and 
the similar exercises at the Female Department. Hon. 


30 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


Wendall Philips is expected to deliver the annual ora¬ 
tion before the Literary Societies. You would be well 
repaid for ,a visit at this time. 

The time passes away rapidly indeed. January is 
nearly gone, and Spring will soon be here. This term 
closes the last of March, and of course I am looking 
forward anxiously to the time, with the expectation of 
getting home again. Studying is going off very finely 
this term as usual. I get along with my class very 
well, I think. Yours truly, J. Z. J. 

In his correspondence with his father, which 
was kept up constantly and freely on both sides, 
are frequent references to religion as the founda¬ 
tion of human happiness, and every opportunity 
was taken to impress upon him the sense of re¬ 
sponsibility to God, the worth of salvation, the 
consecration of life to its highest ends, and con¬ 
tinual readiness for sudden death, to which every 
age is liable. This last topic had been enforced 
late in the year 1863, by the death of many of 
his young friends in the neighborhood of his 
home. Yet how blind are we all to the future ! 
Zimmerman had never known sickness by expe¬ 
rience. His fine constitution seemed to promise 
long and vigorous life, and as late as March 20th, 
1864, (only ten days before his death) he wrote 
the following letter to his father, full of his usual 
cheerfulness : 

“ College Hill , March 20 th. 

“Dear Father, —I received a letter from you this 
morning. ... I am enjoying usual good health. 


MEMOIR. 


31 


It lias been very healthy through this section during 
the -winter, as far as I know. Everything is progress¬ 
ing quietly and pleasantly about college. This week 
finishes our studies for the session; three days of next 
week are devoted to examinations ; and Wednesday 
night I shall start for home, and probably get home 
some time on Thursday. . . ” 

On Saturday morning, March 26th, he attend¬ 
ed prayers in the College Chapel, and that day 
completed his last recitation with his class. He 
was amply prepared for the next week’s exami¬ 
nations. He was then feeling unwell, and on 
Sunday morning, after attending divine service, 
his illness became so marked that the lady with 
whom he boarded insisted upon his seeing the 
physician, who prescribed for him. Still it was 
thought he would be well enough to attend the 
examination in a day or two. Monday came, but 
health came not. His disease assumed a serious 
character, and on Wednesday, the day he had set 
for his return home, his spirit took its departure 
to another world. Such is the frailty of human life 
—the vanity of human hope. Before he died, he 
beckoned for a slate, and attempted to write his 
last wishes on it. The writing is in part unintel¬ 
ligible even to his family, but it is sufficiently plain 
to indicate that he would never see them again 
in this world. That he thought he was going to 
a better world, he showed by raising his hand 
and pointing upwards. Then turning to his at- 


32 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


tendant, he grasped liis hand, and bid him an 
affectionate farewell. 

The following letters and testimonial, will give 
other particulars, and show the estimation in 
which he was held by the Faculty and Students 
of the University, and their sorrow at his loss. 
The first is a note to his father, giving the first 
intimation of his sickness. 

Lewisburg , 28 th March , 1864. 

Jesse Johnson, Esq, —Respected Sir ,—Your son Jesse 
is boarding with me, therefore I feel it my duty to in¬ 
form you that he is very ill. The doctor tells me that 
it is likely to be Typhoid fever. He took sick on Fri¬ 
day morning. He is most of the time flighty., and has 
become very deaf. Perhaps you or his mother had 
better come and see him. Y ours with respect, 

S. B. 

The next is from the President of the Univer¬ 
sity. 

University at Lewisburg, March 31, 1864. 

Dear Brother Johnson, —I am called upon to write 
to you under the most painful circumstances. I do, 
from my heart, most deeply sympathize with you in this 
great and most unlooked-for blow. It was almost as 
sudden to us as to you. On Saturday he was at Chapel 
as usual, and I had a few words of conversation with 
him. He also attended his morning recitation in 
chemistry, and was not apparently in more danger 
than any one of his class. It was the last recitation 
which his class was to have, and the examinations 
were to begin on Monday. He thus completed every 


MEMOIR. 


33 


recitation, and was well prepared for the closing exer¬ 
cises of the Term. 

I learn from Mrs. Backus (the lady with whom he 
boarded) that he did not go to dinner or tea on Sat¬ 
urday. On Sunday morning he went to his boarding 
house and ate some breakfast, but did not appear well 
and complained, but did not think it best to have a 
physician. Dr. Wilson was, however, at Mrs. B.’s in 
the forenoon of Sunday, to* see another patient, and 
Mrs. B. insisted upon his examining the condition of 
your son. He found some symptoms threatening Ty¬ 
phoid fever, and prescribed accordingly, and had, I 
think, no serious apprehension but that your son 
would, in a day or two, be again as well as usual. 

On Monday he became slightly delirious, or at least 
flighty, and other symptoms were more alarming. 
Mrs. Backus wrote on Monday evening to you. The 
direction of the letter was given to Mrs. B. by your 
son. He was rational when spoken to, but somewhat 
wandering when the room was still, and particularly 
when his eyes were closed. 

On Tuesday morning a telegram was sent to you^ 
and in the afternoon a second one, as his case was be¬ 
coming every hour more alarming. In the course of 
the night the doctor said it would be impossible for 
him to recover. 

On Wednesday brother Spratt gave us the name of 
a person in Norristown, whom he knew to be acquaint¬ 
ed with you and a friend, and two telegrams were sent 
at different hours. We hoped your son might survive 
till you could reach here. But life was fast passing 
away, and he breathed his last at about 3J o’clock on 
Wednesday afternoon. 

It was thought.best to send his remains to you at 


34 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


once. A coffin was accordingly prepared, and he was 
sent in the train of this morning, three of the young 
men, who have been his near friends in college, accom¬ 
panying them. 

I know how vain are words to give comfort, for they 
cannot restore to us our friends when death has taken 
them away. And it is left to us only to grieve and to 
submit. Still I cannot withhold a few words. Your 
son has been a faithful student, excelling in his studies. 
He has conducted himself with the utmost propriety, 
and given no occasion for any word of reproof. He 
had become a favorite among the students, and his 
teachers regarded him as among the specially pro¬ 
mising. 

He was one of the most constant in his attendance 
upon the worship of God, and was often a voluntary 
attendant at the students’ prayer meeting, on Tuesday, 
evenings. In conversation with him iii regard to his 
own personal religious condition, he admitted to me 
very fully and freely his belief in the religion of Christ, 
its importance to him and his obligation to embrace 
it. It was a subject of conversation between him and 
others on several occasions, so that there is reason to 
believe that it occupied more or less his mind ; but to 
what extent it impressed itself I have not the means 
of knowing. 

It may be proper to mention that he became very 
hard of hearing, and it was impossible to hold any con¬ 
versation with him for the last two days. On Tues¬ 
day night he made his attendants understand that he 
wanted writing materials. A slate and pencil were 
given him and he wrote several lines, but he probably 
could then see nothing, and either he was wandering 
or else his writing was, for other reasons, not capable 


MEMOIR. 


35 


of being read. The slate has, however, been preserv¬ 
ed as he left it, because it was thought barely possible 
that, with your acquaintance with his hand-writing, 
and perhaps acquaintance with persons that he would 
be likely to write to, it might be made out what he 
wanted to say. 

I was often in at Mrs. Backus’ during your son’s 
brief sickness, and know that he had every attention, 
also that he had the best medical attendance that 
could be had in Lewisburg. But all was unavailing. 
The physician, Doctor Wilson, has talked freely with 
me, and says that while the symptoms were rather 
those of Typhus than Typhoid fever, yet he is not wil¬ 
ling to pronounce decidedly what was the disease 
which has carried off your son. He says, however, that 
whatever the name to be given to the disease, there is 
no doubt that the immediate cause of death was the 
congested state of the brain. 

That God may sustain you and your companion in 
this dark hour, is the prayer of your friend and brother 
in Christ, ' J. ft. Loomis. 

Lewisburg University, March 30th, 18G4. 

At a meeting of the Gamma Chapter of the Ph 
Kappa Psi Fraternity, the following resolutions, ex¬ 
pressive of the sense of the Chapter, relative to the 
death of the late Jesse Z. Johnson, were adopted: 

Whereas, It has pleased “Him who doeth all things 
well” to remove from us by death, our late brother 
Jesse Z. Johnson ; therefore be it resolved, 

That as a Chapter we bow submissively to the in¬ 
scrutable Providence that so suddenly removed from 
us one, alike admired for his diligence and proficiency 
3 


36 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


as a Student, as for his genial and attractive qualities 
as a man. 

That we recognized in our deceased brother, those 
qualities that rendered him an ornament to the frater¬ 
nity with which he was identified, and endeared him 
to all who came within the circle of his acquaintance. 

That we deeply sympathize with the parents and 
friends in their sad bereavement, and lament that his 
last moments were not cheered by their presence ; yet 
we feel a melancholy pleasure in recording the fact, 
that in common with his fellow-students, the Presi¬ 
dent and Professors of the Institution with which he 
was connected, alleviated his sufferings as far as lay in 
their power, by their attention and solicitude. 

That these resolutions be published in the Norristown 
Republican and Lewisburg Chronicle , and a copy trans¬ 
mitted to the parents. 


Thomas A. Gill, | 
John A. Siner, j 


Committee. 


On receiving the intelligence of his son’s sick¬ 
ness, (which did not reach him until Wednesday) 
his father immediately took the cars for Lewis¬ 
burg; but on his arrival there, found that the 
corpse of his son, attended by three of his fel- 
low-studehts, had passed him without his know¬ 
ledge, on the way to his home. It is not neces¬ 
sary to speak of the shock which this sad news 
gave him, nor the feelings with which he returned 
to Lower Providence, to behold for the last time 
the face of the beloved dead. Zimmerman was 
buried in the cemetery connected with the Bap¬ 
tist Church in that place, amid the scenes ren- 


MEMOIR. 


37 


dered dear and sacred by the associations of his 
youth. A handsome monument has been erected 
to his memory, on which is inscribed the motto: 
“ Post tenebras, Lux,” that is, “Light succeeds 
darkness,”—the theme of his last-written Essay. 

Two circumstances added greatly to the im¬ 
pressiveness of his sudden death. One was the 
sudden decease of one of his fellow-students at 
Lewisburg, which almost immediately followed 
his own. The other was, that a gentlemen, a 
very prominent citizen of Lower Providence, 
living near his father, was taken sick on the same 
day, and died on the same day, as Zimmerman. 
The one was buried on Sabbath, (April 3d,) and 
the other the Monday following, in the same place. 
Such a combination of solemn events marks a 
special purpose of the All-Wise Disposer, to en¬ 
force on survivors the oft-forgotten lesson of his 
word: “Be ye also ready; for in such an hour 
as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.” May 
we not cherish the hope that classmates, kindred 
and friends, especially those in the morning of 
life, will give heed to the momentous warning.* 
Those who were of the same age as the departed, 


*Even while these lines are passing through the 
press, we are permitted to record the fact that this 
hope is fulfilled. Many in Lower Providence are now 
turning to the Lord, and dedicating to his service the 
fresh and sparkling dew of their youth. Tidings of a 
like cheering nature, also reach us from the University 
at Lewisburg. 



38 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


with whom he was accustomed to mingle and 
spend his leisure hours, will surely remember, 
that as he has gone, so they themselves must 
follow. Shall it be from darkness into light? 
from earth to Heaven ? 

It is only necessary to add that it was chiefly 
during his connection with the University, that he 
prepared the papers and public addresses which 
are published in the present volume of his .Re¬ 
mains. That they were listened to, everywhere, 
with interest and delight, by all classes of per¬ 
sons to whom they were addressed, was but nat¬ 
ural, not merely for their own intrinsic merit, 
but still more for the rich promise they gave of 
yet nobler productions from his rapidly unfold¬ 
ing powers. That promise, alas! was not to be 
fulfilled on earth; but we rejoice in believing that 
there is a brighter world where consecrated intel¬ 
lect shall unfold and bloom, and diffuse its fra¬ 
grance forever. 


nciJi 




* 



% 




/ 














“POST TENEBRAS, LUX. 

(after darkness, light.) 


Read before the Kappa Psi Society, of the University of Lewisburg, 
Pa., March 18,1864, by J. Zimmerman Johnson, who 
died ten days after its delivery. 


How cheering a thought is this ! How con¬ 
soling during affliction; how animating when 
surrounded by adversity; how beneficent, to 
cheer man on life’s weary pilgrimage ! When 
hope seems flickering in the heart, faith flutter¬ 
ing for its departure, and despair ready to seize 
upon the very vitals, the pleasant thought that 
“ Light comes after darkness,” as its realization 
flashes upon the mind of the sufferer, may induce 
him to bear tranquilly a little longer, and yet a 
little longer, until the wished-for hour of release 
has arrived. 

But do you ask, is this a universal truth ?—I 
answer, it is an established law of nature, un¬ 
written indeed, but which every intelligent, ob¬ 
serving man may read. Its exceptions are rare 
phenomena. It is as universal in its application to 
41 


42 


TIIE YOUNG STUDENT. 


human affairs, as in the great solar system of 
our universe. An occasional eclipse conceals the 
light of the sun from us, in the regular and sys¬ 
tematic revolutions of the planetary system ; hut 
in a short time it is again revealed with renewed 
effulgence. Affliction, sorrow and care occasion¬ 
ally eclipse our happy hours, but there is a balm 
that can solace every wounded heart, and dry up 
every bitter tear. After darkness, comes light. 
The benighted traveler feels this when his foot¬ 
steps know not their course, and he composes 
himself to await the coming * dawn. So life’s 
travelers, bewildered by its sorrows, have only to 
confide themselves trustingly to a Divine Prov¬ 
idence, and his divine rays of illuminating joy 
will inevitably follow in due time. 

How emblematical was the scene presented by 
those three hours, when the Redeemer of man¬ 
kind hung upon the cross, and darkness covered 
the face of the earth, but which were again suc¬ 
ceeded by the effulgent beams of the sun. The 
Sun of Righteousness withdrew his divine beams 
from the earth for a time; but again his light 
shone out anew in the ministry of his apostles. 
Light followed darkness. 

There are many dark hours in every man’s ex¬ 
perience, and it is well that this is so. Adver¬ 
sity tends to develop some of the noblest traits 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


43 


in man’s character. It is a test of man’s ability. 
Not every one can pass through its fiery ordeal 
unscathed; hut the cause of any one being over¬ 
powered by its influences is, that he did not raise 
his eyes from the ground, to see in visible char¬ 
acters upon every guide post, at every turning 
in his career, the inscription, “ Post tenebras , 
lux." 

As the gloom of night is wisely given to com¬ 
pel man to leave his daily toil and seek the re¬ 
pose his weary nature demands, so adversity is 
given to require the mind, satiated with pleasures 
and vanities, to contemplate and relieve itself of 
its vain imaginations. 

It is said “ the darkest hour is always follow¬ 
ed by the brightest day.” This is evident, for 
the greater the contrast is, the more perceptible 
will be its effects. If a person is transferred im¬ 
mediately from total darkness into the influence 
of a flood of luminous rays, he will be almost 
blinded. His blindness, who is released from 
mental obscurity, and transferred to perfect feli¬ 
city, is of similar nature to the sorrow of him 
who sheds tears for joy. 

Every nation, also, has its dark periods, and 
these are as essential for its good, as for each of 
us individually. It was a dark day in our na¬ 
tion’s history when our forefathers were strug- 


44 


TIIE YOUNG STUDENT. 


gling to free themselves from the oppression of a 
foreign power. But the exhilarating beams of 
Liberty’s sun at last dispelled the gloomy 
shadows. The past presents a dark period in 
the history of Poland; but the indomitable Poles 
have seemed to realize the truth which our sub¬ 
ject presents. They persevered, and now the 
dawn of their deliverance is beginning to appear. 

It was a dark hour in the history of America 
when the first booming shell rebounded from the 
walls of Fort Sumter. The stoutest hearts 
quaked with fear. The bravest forms trembled 
as the sound was re-echoed throughout the length 
and breadth of our land. But we were safe. 
The experience of the past had taught our wise 
counsellors and rulers, that every cloud has its 
silver lining; and they, true to their country, 
true to the principles of freedom, never despair¬ 
ed. Now every Union-loving citizen has been 
inspired with fresh hopes; as if by prophetic 
vision our destiny had been revealed, and we are 
fully convinced that light will follow darkness— 
yes, that America’s brightest day shall succeed 
this, our darkest night. 


DEVOTION OF THE WOMEN OF AMER¬ 
ICA TO FREEDOM. 


There is an instinctive desire among all classes 
of humanity, to bestow applause upon those who 
fill prominent positions in society, and to attribute 
honor to those who perform deeds of reckless 
daring, while the less fortunate, and more mod¬ 
est, are almost forgotten in the distribution of 
the favored laurels. All seem to forget, when 
enthusiasm is excited, that it is the spirit with 
which any action is performed that makes it 
praise-worthy, and the otherwise evident fact, 
that any action which has the stamp of sacrifice 
and modest worth upon it, is equally as noble as 
the most glaring. They, who do all that is com¬ 
mensurate with their abilities, do their duty, and 
deserve far more encomiums than those whom 
fickle fortune has made popular. 

Thus in contemplating Woman’s actions, we 
are apt to place too low an estimate upon them. 
When we look upon Woman as the weaker sex, 
45 



46 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


which she is, we are too prone to judge of her 
labors in comparison with Man’s, and because 
they fall short of his in grandeur or sublime dis¬ 
play of physical strength, they receive but a 
diminutive share of our rewards. But if we 
compare their advantages, their freedom, and 
their ability with men’s, in the proper ratio, and 
strike a balance with strict mathematical exact¬ 
ness, their labors will bear the test of the most 
rigid scrutiny. Although sometimes they may 
appear insignificant, yet they are never to be de¬ 
spised on that account, for well we know, 

u The pebble in the streamlet cast, 

Has changed the course of many a river; 

The dew-drop on the tender plant, 

Has warped the giant oak forever.” 

We know that female character has exerted a 
powerful influence upon the destiny of all na¬ 
tions. We find recorded upon the pages of his¬ 
tory, ancient and modern, sacred and profane, 
acts of charity and love, piety and veneration, 
and also deeds of noble and heroic daring, the 
designs of which originated in the minds of Wo¬ 
men, and the results of which tended to benefit 
the whole human family. 

But in no land, and in no clime, have the female 
sex exhibited a nobler, purer, or more disinter¬ 
ested devotion to Freedom, and free institutions, 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


47 


than in our own loved land, America. Look 
upon the position we, as a nation, occupy to-day, 
and contrast it with times in the dim, almost for¬ 
gotten past. Revolve the question in your 
minds, how has this glorious change been effect¬ 
ed? and allow me to sketch the part enacted in 
our Nation’s drama by the Women of America. 

Our Pilgrim mothers, who made such noble 
offerings, such noble sacrifices, have well per¬ 
formed their part. What an undying love for 
religious principle was theirs, to prompt them 
for its sake alone, to cast themselves into the 
care and keeping of their God and the protection 
of their stout-hearted husbands and fathers,* and 
launch forth, to brave the storms of care and 
buffet the winds of sorrow. Exposure to the 
horrors of an open New England winter, with in¬ 
different lodgings, and threatened by the assaults 
of the ruthless savage, were some of their light¬ 
est hardships. Well did they know that these 
hardships were unavoidable, but incited by the 
love of religious freedom little did they heed 
them. They assisted in establishing those prin¬ 
ciples of religious liberty which have ever since 
characterized us as a nation, and placed us in 
the van, and far in advance of all rivals. Their 
tears -watered the tree of Liberty, which was 
planted under such inauspicious circumstances, 


48 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


caused it to take firm root upon our soil, and 
spread its protecting branches as a refuge for the 
oppressed of all nations. Abundant has been 
the fruit of their labors. Poor was their re¬ 
ward in this world, except the sweet conscious¬ 
ness of having performed a holy work; but rich 
will be their recompense in the next. Little did 
their most sanguine expectations, ever expect 
such a realization of their desired object, or 
their tears would have been lavished still more 
profusely, and their prayers, if possible, ascend¬ 
ed yet more devoutly. But I leave them where 
universal suffrage has assigned them a shrine, in 
the hearts of a thankful American people. 

We will pass over the intervening time, until 
our Revolution, when our forefathers struggled 
so long and so well for national liberty. Then 
again the noble attributes of female character 
were magnificently displayed. What heart-rend¬ 
ing sacrifices American women made, when they 
devoted their sons and brothers to their country’s 
cause; when they sent them forth to fight for 
freedom, with the parting injunction, “ to return 
as conquerors or return no more, to strike for 
liberty as long as life shall last, and sooner die 
nobly in the cause, than fail cowardly in the at¬ 
tempt.” With what divine homage, they offered 
' up their prayers to the God of battles, to sustain 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


49 


them in the conflict, and to expel from their 
shores the spirit of bondage, that they might 
breathe the pure air of political and religious 
liberty. They eagerly instilled into the hearts 
of their children the spirit of true patriotism. 
They deeply engraved upon the tablets of their 
plastic minds, that undying hatred to tyranny 
and despotism, which we still feel. Long did 
they wait, long did they watch, long did they 
pray, and untiring were their efforts, to assist 
the noblest band of men who had ever marched 
.shoulder to shoulder in battle. They were not 
all Molly Pitchers, who, with her indomitable 
valor fired by a truly patriotic zeal, boldly faced 
the cannon’s mouth amid the fury of battle, and 
fought the gun which her disabled husband was 
compelled to abandon; but many a mother, at 
her secluded fireside, performed as faithful a 
work as the heroine herself. The presence of 
the wife of our noble Chieftain, as she went with 
her husband through the camps, cheering some 
by her kindly-spoken words, and comforting 
others by administering acts of kindness, was, 
next to the cause in which they were engaged, 
the strongest incentive to patient endurance of 
hardships. Those hardy patriots felt that they 
had the heartfelt co-operation, of dear ones at 
home, when they knew what sacrifices they were 


50 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


making for their comfort. Under such circum¬ 
stances could men be otherwise than brave ? 
Surely, not those who possessed the manhood 
which fired the hearts of our Revolutionary 
fathers. They felt, in their Spartan-like valor, 
that this alone would be worth a struggle. They 
looked forward to the future with a consolation 
like this: 

u If your vision be darkened to-day, do not judge too rash 
of to-morrow, 

For though bitter the taste of the bud, yet sweet is the 
scent of the flower.” 

But our picture is yet unfinished. There is 
another scene to be represented, which our vision 
cannot escape. A sad task would it be to por¬ 
tray the horrors of the civil war which has raged 
with unparalleled fury for nearly three years, wer e 
we not animated by the glorious cause for which 
we are struggling, the sublime display of true 
patriotism, that even in adversity cheers our 
hearts, and the honorable victory we are deter¬ 
mined to win. This is a contest for the perpetu¬ 
ation of the free institutions which our predeces¬ 
sors established. What are the Women of the 
North doing to maintain those principles invio¬ 
late. Do we find them active co-operators in the 
work, or viewing the struggle with reticent in¬ 
difference ? Ah, no ! Unforgetful as the parent 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


51 


of her child, true as student to his Alma Mater, 
we find them devoted to the cause, yes! and with 
an energy of purpose we would do well to imi¬ 
tate. No one thing tends more to make our 
brave volunteers indifferent to the winter’s freez¬ 
ing blast and summer’s scorching sun, than the 
consciousness that those whom they are fighting 
to protect, sufficiently appreciate their labors. 
They have abundant testimony, that loved ones 
at home mourn their absence, grieve their loss, 
but nevertheless strive to render their condition 
endurable. They are assured that their wants 
are considered around every fireside, and every 
available means resorted to, to remedy those 
wants. 

The best emblem of attachment to Liberty, 
except the drawn sword over the rebel brow, is 
that of our national Stars and Stripes. And 
scarcely a company have left their native village 
without having this sacred trust, woven by fair 
hands, presented to them, as a beacon light to 
direct their course, as a refuge aroind which 
to rally, and as a holy gift for them to pro¬ 
tect. Actuated by the same motive that prompt¬ 
ed its fair donors, the undying love of freedom, 
those gallant bands have pressed forward beneath 
its protecting folds. 

When wounded and in need of assistance, how 
4 


52 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


readily have fair hands and tender hearts bestow¬ 
ed it. In camp, in the hospital, and upon the 
battle-field, Woman’s noble actions attest her 
nobler nature. Her services have been invalu¬ 
able. This many a brave youth will testify, as 
he narrates, with tears of gratitude streaming 
from his eyes, the sympathy he has received. 
In this respect the women of the North have set 
an example, unprecedented in the history of the 
world. 

As a contrast, look at the offerings they have 
been called to sacrifice upon the altar of free¬ 
dom, and the cheerfulness with which they have 
been conceded. What bitter tears and sad emotions 
were concealed behind those cheers and smiles, 
which they summoned to greet the departure of 
those they loved. No one but she who has experi¬ 
enced it can tell the anguish of mind which a wife 
must feel, as she takes her husband’s hand to 
give the last farewell. The mother, when she 
lays her hand upon the head of her darling boy, 
to give him the parting blessing, must shed a 
tear as bitter as though it was the life-blood 
dropping from her heart. The maiden who binds 
her lover’s sash upon his manly shoulders, and, 
with throbbing heart, bids him adieu, performs 
as noble an act as he who charges single-handed 
against the foe. These sacrifices are made daily, 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


53 


and in that spirit of devotion, which angels must 
admire, and Almighty God approve. 

The influence of American Women has a 
piercing heat and a penetrating force, which is 
felt in every circle in which they move; and it 
is more fully developed by the storms of adversi¬ 
ty, just as the flower, when bruised, yields its 
perfume, to the surrounding atmosphere, with 
more cogency. The most effectual institutions 
to protect or reform the youthful mind, are the 
home circle and the family tie; and in these ca¬ 
pacities the American mother is a model. In the 
cause of Christianity, our women have made ex¬ 
emplary efforts; and in the promotion of Educa¬ 
tion, they have well sustained their part. With 
the assistance of their sustaining hands, our 
Tree of Liberty has flourished, until it now 
stands the exalted type of a free nation. They 
view this struggle with a devotion man’s sterner 
nature can scarcely conceive. As the ivy wind¬ 
ing around the sturdy oak in sunshine is but an 
ornament to its trunk, which, when rived by 
the lightning’s flash, it binds together and re¬ 
stores to it its former vigor, so Woman, in the 
days of our prosperity, is but an ornament and 
dependent; but in our national afflictions, she 
has proved a comfort and support. They have 
sacrificed their hearts, their hopes, and their 


54 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


happiness, and would cheerfully sacrifice their 
lives, if need be, to perpetuate the American 
Union. Willingly they plight their faith, that 
while this conflict shall last, no offering shall be 
too dear to them, that will assist in digging the 
grave of Tyranny, or promoting the cause of 
Freedom. 


LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS. 


All nations have associations connected with 
their History, which they reverence and worship 
—spots which are made dear and sacred to them 
by incidents which have there transpired, and by 
their influence moulded their destiny as a nation 
—the Mausoleums of the good and great, who 
living had distinguished themselves in their coun¬ 
try’s service, around which their countrymen 
crowd to pay their tributes of respect. 

Egypt bears traces of the past upon her sand- 
covered plains, around which the nations of the 
world may meet to worship. The modern Gre¬ 
cians perform adorations with pride at the tombs 
of their ancestors, who once stood the embodi¬ 
ment of noble statesmen and orators. The Eng¬ 
lish nation rejoice and mourn over the spots 
where crowned heads received their nativity, 
flourished and died. The Roman citizen of to¬ 
day, reverts with feelings of pleasure to the days 
of his country’s prosperity, and views, with min¬ 
gled feelings of - joy and sorrow, the remnants of 
55 



56 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


his once powerful nation, and gazes desponding- 
1 y over the battle-fields where Roman valor was 
so nobly displayed. The French nation gather 
round the tombs of her conquering sons, to pay 
their homage to the noble dead. 

But no nation can boast of more spots which 
are dedicated to their country, and held dear to 
their citizens, than America. Dedicated as it is 
to Freedom, her citizens can worship at the 
tombs of those who gave her birth, who laid her 
foundation, who fought for her principles, who 
defended her when assailed by a foreign foe, up¬ 
held her when inward dissensions threatened to 
destroy, and of those who nobly stood by and 
defended her flag when plunged by traitors into 
the horrors of a civil war. 

Plymouth Rock is a sacred spot to every Ame¬ 
rican citizen. Bunker Hill, Princeton, Valley 
Forge, and Yorktown, attest the love of country 
in the American people; and we reverence the 
spots where our struggle for liberty was main¬ 
tained, as we till the soil which our sires de¬ 
fended. 

No true American can tread the consecrated 
floors of Independence Hall, without feelings of 
gratitude towards the noble statesmen who there 
accomplished the freeing of a nation. 

And their labors are duly appreciated by the 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


57 


present generation, as is proved by the towering 
monuments dedicated to their memories. A host 
of patriots, and a long line of statesmen and 
orators, have found a resting-place within our 
borders, to whom we would do sacrilege by ne¬ 
glecting their graves or forgetting their valuable 
services. And to the many local associations 
already established, the present struggle is add¬ 
ing many more. Noble patriots have fallen on 
many a well fought field, and if no other tribute 
of respect can be paid to the braves thus fallen, 
it will be done by decorating their graves as a 
just appreciation of their services. 


ON SECRET SOCIETIES. 


Secret Societies, like all other institutions, have 
their advocates, and also their opposers. There 
are those, whose opinions we respect, who advo¬ 
cate them for the benefits they can themselves 
derive from them, also for the more liberal object, 
the favors and assistance, which they can through 
this medium, have the opportunity of bestowing 
on others, whom they may consider worthy and 
deserving of their generosity. Others support 
them from entirely disinterested motives, or for 
the sake of establishing a common Brotherhood. 
While on the other hand, many are found, 
whose intellectual qualities are equally good, and 
whose ability for sound judgment is entirely un¬ 
questionable, who contend that the benefits de¬ 
rived from them, if any, are only attained in an 
indirect way, and might more directly be accom¬ 
plished without the medium of secrecy. And 
some may be found who argue that the influence 
of Secret Societies is diametrically the reverse 
of good, and positively pernicious. 

58 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


59 


After some reflection on tlie subject, I would 
take the position, that they are, upon the whole, 
decidedly beneficial, with perhaps two exceptions. 
These exceptions are, Secret Political and Secret 
Religious Societies. My objections to these I 
shall notice in the close of this essay, and shall 
proceed to enumerate the benefits which, in my 
judgment, accrue from Secret Societies in gene¬ 
ral, organized for benevolent ends. 

If these societies are established with a good 
design, or for a praiseworthy object, and con¬ 
ducted strictly in conformity with the principles 
of justice and rules of decorum, they cannot fail 
to be productive of good. 

If the object is to promote some charitable 
purpose, the design cannot be effected more 
speedily or more permanently than by establish¬ 
ing secret organizations. If the object is Liter¬ 
ary improvement, then in the select circle which 
they compose, they can discuss questions of a 
higher order, and perhaps .too delicate a nature 
to be considered before a promiscuous and criti¬ 
cizing audience; but which are indispensable for 
the completion of an education, or preparation 
for the realities of the higher walks of life. If 
formed for the protection of Social interests, 
then all are bound equally to devote themselves 
to the desired object, and without the interfer- 


60 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


ence of uninterested parties, who should be igno¬ 
rant of all the proceedings. 

Blackstone sajs, “ The true foundation of So¬ 
ciety is the wants of individuals.” I consider 
that for man’s enjoyment and progress in society 
sociability is one of the greatest wants. Man 
seems naturally to be a selfish being. He is too 
apt to think, “ I can take care of myself, let 
every one else do the sameor what is still 
worse, “ no one cares for me, and I care for no 
one but myself.” The first of these is a grand 
fallacy ; for if every one should adopt this as his 
motto, all advancement would be at an end, and 
a retrograde movement would inevitably follow in 
society. The second is a fatal error, and leads 
many from the paths of duty and enjoyment. 
Whatever conduces towards guiding members of 
the human family from either of these errors, 
must be wholly beneficial. Secret Societies sup¬ 
ply this guide in part, by creating mutual bene¬ 
fits, mutual interests, mutual duties, and estab¬ 
lishing social pleasures, benefits and sympathies 
common to them all. When this want is met, 
one of the greatest obstacles to society is over¬ 
come. 

The oath of secrecy, which is administered to 
all, which is as it were the connecting link be¬ 
tween the mind of the creature and the footstool 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


61 


of his Creator, is alike sacred to all, and equally 
binding upon all, and renders the obligations and 
interests of each individual member sacred, pro¬ 
duces a mutual and ever profound respect, which 
emanates from each heart, and is reciprocated 
by all. 

Another great benefit which accrues, is the 
generation of confidence among the human fami¬ 
ly. The member of a “ Secret Fraternity” thus 
bound together by mutual ties, with the same 
vows entrusted to each to be kept inviolate, will 
experience a confidential relation between them¬ 
selves in their distinctive relations, which will 
also have its influence outside of that particular 
capacity. As confidence is another great want 
of society, a decided benefit accrues in this re¬ 
spect from secret organizations. 

It is also very essential, that man should be 
able to keep secret his own and the private rela¬ 
tions of others, as we cannot place implicit confi¬ 
dence in any one, if we question their ability in 
this direction. And I would argue, that Secret 
Societies, when they place their members under 
obligations to preserve secrets, serve to develop 
this trait of character in man, and will make it 
a growing and increasing virtue, which, if per¬ 
petual, will work wonders with society. 

But Secret Societies are beneficial in another 


62 


TIIE YOUNG STUDENT. 


respect, in a social capacity. They, in their dis¬ 
tinctive relations, level all distinctions and grades, 
and their members meet together in secret coun¬ 
cil, on a common basis. If they be rich or poor, 
learned or illiterate, they still hold intercourse 
together as common brothers. The poor are 
under the same obligations to their more fortu¬ 
nate neighbors, upon whom nature has lavished 
her bounties, as those whom opulence has made 
wealthy, are to those who, in the promiscuous 
distribution, have received but a small proportion 
of this world’s goods. Thus, that proud aristo¬ 
cratic bearing, which is the bane of society, is 
mollified, and a converse sympathetic feeling is 
produced, which causes their hearts to beat in 
unison in the cause in which they are engaged; 
and as mentioned in a former case, so this will 
also be felt outside of this capacity. 

But I must proceed to announce my objections to 
secret political and religious societies. The in¬ 
terests of both u Church and State” impose the 
same duties, benefits,.and pleasures upon every 
individual. The prerogative of every private 
citizen should be the same, and he who usurps 
any power, not guaranteed to every citizen, en¬ 
croaches upon the rights of others, and violates 
the law of justice. Secret Societies cannot be 
thus universal, or secrecy would be no advantage 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


63 


or object to them ; and if the society was organ¬ 
ized for political scheming, those not admitted 
within the councils of deliberation would look 
upon them with a suspicious eye ; perhaps accu¬ 
sing them of being traitors, meeting in secret 
council, to conspire against their government. 
In the Church the denominational relations may 
produce an effect similar to that produced by 
secret political relations. But the great truths of 
religion need have no secret discussions, and the 
same suspicions would be aroused, in interested 
outsiders, as in political meetings. True, there 
might be much good accomplished even with 
these, but their injurious influences would be too 
strong to warrant their being established. 

In our own Society, formed for Literary im¬ 
provement, a wide field is opened for us to culti¬ 
vate, and our success will depend entirely on the 
interest manifested in the literary proceedings. 
I doubt if there be a member of this frater¬ 
nity, who does not experience the benefits I have 
described as accruing from Secret Societies. 


AMERICAN SLAVERY. 


Slavery signifies bondage, servitude, captivity, 
or being subject to the will of another. In its 
full signification it may comprehend different 
classes of slavery; as man may be enslaved to 
his passions, when he has not the control of 
them, which he properly should have ; or he'may 
be undergoing a species of voluntary servitude, 
as for instance, a man may voluntarily place 
himself, as his own free agent, under restrictions. 

But the species of slavery which I shall discuss, 
is that of human bondage, or the involuntary ser¬ 
vitude of the black race, and I shall confine my re¬ 
marks principally to it as existing in our own 
country. The contracted limits of an essay are 
too meagre to give even but a superficial or con¬ 
densed account of the subject. I will first notice 
a few of its leading features. 

The first slaves, which in the year 1665, were 
brought - to this country, came originally from 
Africa. The system of capital owning its labor, 
was gradually introduced to meet the demand 
thus made for slaves. A trade was carried on, by 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


65 


an unprincipled class of men, between the United 
States and Africa, the traders either kidnapping 
or buying of one tribe the captives they had 
taken in war with another tribe, then bringing 
them to the United States and disposing of them 
to the planters. This trade was kept up until 
the year 1808, when it was abolished by law, 
and made a penal offence. 

Slavery, thus introduced, formerly existed 
in some of the Northern States; but the tide of 
public opinion being against it, it was gradually 
abolished by them, until it became altogether 
confined to the Southern States. Here the labor 
is performed altogether by the slaves ; they are 
driven like horses into the field, and back again 
to their hovels, their masters and drivers guard¬ 
ing them, and ever ready with their whip to in¬ 
flict the severest punishment in case of any mis¬ 
demeanor. They are kept in ignorance, being 
deprived of the benefits of education and Chris¬ 
tianity ; only being taught the one lesson, that 
of obedience to their masters, and not only their 
actions, but their words are subjected to disci¬ 
pline from their brutal overseers. Besides this, 
they are generally scantily clothed, and some¬ 
times even scantily fed, although this might seem 
poor policy in their masters. Others are sold 
and bought, either privately or publicly, just as 


66 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


we would dispose of horses and cattle. Families 
are separated ; children torn from their parents’ 
embrace, and sent away to other parts to wear 
out a life of toil. 

These actions of slave owners are contrary to 
the cause of justice and humanity ; because it is 
injustice in one man to deprive another of the 
blessings which he himself enjoys. It is con¬ 
trary to humanity to separate parent and child 
forever, to force human beings to labor under 
fear of punishment and without any compensa¬ 
tion, and by these means to degrade a whole 
race of beings by keeping them in abject igno¬ 
rance—beings whom the same Almighty hand 
created and endowed—and to deprive them of 
freedom, that precious boon which we should 
prize next to life itself. Its influence on the 
bondman is'most degrading ; for the more igno¬ 
rant they are, the more submissive do they be¬ 
come to the will of their masters. They would 
have them as mere machines, and, if it were pos¬ 
sible, remove the very impress of divipity. Never 
having experienced the blessings of freedom, the 
slaves do ne t know its value, and many are content 
with their lot because they know of nothing bet¬ 
ter. They are obliged to witness the punish¬ 
ment of their brothers, so as to be kept in dread 
of a similar punishment. 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


67 


The "whole slave system i3 contrary to the 
spirit of Christianity. The divine law teaches ns 
to do to others as we would have others do to us; 
this injunction i3 violated. Also, to love our 
neighbor as ourselves; this is also disregarded. 
To be slow to anger, plenteous in mercy, forgiv¬ 
ing, meek, and humble. Yet in sections where 
the institution of slavery exists, all these laws are 
but considered subservient to their own interests. 
The injunction, Go into all the world and preach 
the gospel, is grossly perverted when they de¬ 
prive a whole class of beings of the privilege of 
worshiping God; and set up for them doctrines 
which suit their own purpose, but mock the di¬ 
vine object of religion. 

Indeed, human Slavery is an evil in whatever 
light it is viewed. It is an evil in a moral sense, 
not only by its effect on the bondmen, but by its 
effects on the masters and the community. The 
spirit of civilization and of an enlightened age, 
would teach that every man, woman and child 
should be educated; should be taught to read and 
revere the Holy Scriptures, and have inculcated 
the principles of religion and duty to God ; that 
every man’s position should be made better in¬ 
stead of worse and unbearable; that their rank 
in the scale of being* should be elevated instead 
of depressed; and when these things are impeded 
5 


68 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


by an obstacle, that obstacle must be a moral 
evil. 

But let us examine the effect produced on the 
masters by this institution. It is a social evil, 
because it makes men tyrannical; it destroys the 
social feeling which should exist between families 
and communities. By the domineering power 
over the slaves this is produced, and every slave¬ 
holder becomes a petty tyrant. This state of 
things could not fail to be noticed by any per¬ 
son visiting the Southern States of our Union. 
The slaveholders become very aristocratic. The 
bowie knife becomes the test of honor, and the 
pistol the measure of justice; thus the belliger¬ 
ent feelings are excited, and the baser qualities 
of man’s nature developed, and his finer feelings 
destroyed. This power also degrades labor. 
Where work is performed by blacks, who are 
owned by capitalists, it is looked upon as mean 
and contemptible, and a disgrace to a white per¬ 
son to lower himself to a level with the slave ; 
and he who does so is treated by the Chivalry 
with contempt; thus setting aside the scriptural 
injunction, that by the sweat of thy face thou 
shalt eat bread. It also engenders vice, because 
idleness, among the upper classes, is sure to re¬ 
sult, and then dissipation and crime are sure to 
follow. 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


G9 


Slavery is an evil to our country, because it 
hinders the advancement of the arts and scien¬ 
ces, and the general progress of the localities 
wherein it exists. It debars emigration, and cuts 
off this resource of a nation. While cities and 
towns spring up, as if by magic, through the 
Northern and Western States, the most of the 
Southern States have advanced but little. While 
Virginia, at the formation of the Constitution, 
ranked first as a State, she now has fallen to the 
fifth, and the States of New York and Pennsyl¬ 
vania, which were then far inferior, now stand 
pre-eminent. Their free labor, free institutions, 
free speech, and free press, have been the cause 
of their rapid advancement. Labor was not con¬ 
sidered degrading, because it did not compete 
with slave labor, and the poor man was respected, 
because he could emigrate and prosper. 

By the tyrannical power of slavery this war 
was brought about. The aristocratic slaveholders 
had ruled the country for many years, but saw 
that their power was fast growing less, that their 
advancement was not proportional to the free 
States, and consequently their representation in 
Congress, based upon population, could not in¬ 
crease with the North. All their efforts to 
strengthen their peculiar institution failed them. 
Every man they punished in the South, for the 


70 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


expression of an unfavorable opinion, made a 
thousand opponents of slavery in the North. 
They failed, with all their atrocious efforts, to 
make a Slave State of Kansas, and not willing 
to be ruled, they will either rule or ruin the gov¬ 
ernment. At the formation of the Constitution, 
Virginia had ten representatives, and still has 
but ten. Pennsylvania had eight, she now has 
twenty-four; New York, which then sent ten, 
now sends thirty-one. They undertake to de¬ 
stroy this Union by which they have been pro¬ 
tected, and to establish an independent Confede¬ 
racy, making their peculiar institution the corner 
stone of their Constitution. 

But it is cheering to see that all their efforts 
have failed them. Their downfall is at hand. A 
war, waged upon the issue of slavery, has been 
met by our authorities on that same issue, and they 
have measured out to traitors the arm of justice. 
The struggle has been long and desperate, which 
shall triumph, Slavery, or the Nation ? Slavery 
has been disgraced and the Union is triumphant. 


COVETOUSNESS. 


Covetousness is closely allied to selfishness. 
To covet is the excitement of desire to possess; 
selfishness is the clinging to the thing possessed. 
Flowing from these two propensities, and strongly 
operated on by them, is thieving, or stealing, to 
speak plainly. 

Covetousness, with its active ally, selfishness, 
is the prevailing lust that excites thousands of 
sins in the hearts of the human family. For 
example, take some well-known article, say a 
corn broom. A man sees it in some convenient 
place, looks at it, says to himself, “ It is a good 
one, just such as would suit me.” He covets, 
takes it up, carries it in his hand to his room, 
tries it on his floor, it suits admirably. Perhaps 
he thinks this is not stealing, it is only taking' 
his use of it. But self prompts him to keep it 
safe in a private corner ; this is the sin. Fur¬ 
ther, when inquiry is made respecting the miss¬ 
ing article, self prompts to make false represen¬ 
tations, or at least false impressions on the in- 
71 



72 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


quirer’s mind. Is not this lying? The Arch 
Fiend, the father of lies, did very little more, in 
bringing early ruin on the human family. And 
the individual who is carried off the path of right 
by his covetousness and selfishness, has only a few 
more steps to take. First to malign the inten¬ 
tions of the inquirer, or owner ; to sow the seeds 
of suspicion around his actions; to blast his 
reputation; to kill his character ; and one little 
step more would lead him to imbrue his hand in 
his neighbor’s blood, to conceal the iniquities 
brought on by the free sway of these lusts. 

“Halloo! That is a fleet horse you are riding, 
Ego, Ergo. Be cautious, you might unwarily 

strike against a post, and then-.” “Yes, 

yes, I see it, my Dear Self. I must confess it is 
a hard, flinty road, and a fall might make Con¬ 
tusions.” 

Yet it is plain: Man is selfish, when he should 
be generous. For what am I living? What are 
the secret springs of action within me ? Shall 
it be pleasant to look back on the days of youth, 
and calculate the baneful effects, or blissful re¬ 
sults of my present mode of living ? The reli¬ 
gion of Christ says, “ Do good to all men.” The 
world says, “ Young man, take care of thyself; 
it is the first law of nature, and be sure of this, 
the world never helps any one w T ho fails to help 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


73 


himself; while it is a never-failing maxim, that 
Charity begins at home.” 

Alas ! this seems very sensible, and quite suit¬ 
able to my Egotism. 

Let me see how it looks in another dress. 
Wrap the mantle of selfishness around thee; 
warm thyself with thine own self-love. Make 
eyery circumstance conducive to thine own plea¬ 
sure and profit, and—the world will help thee. 
Ah! that is a mistake; the world will flatter 
thee. That is all. Who would lend the helping 
hand if all were completely encased in selfish¬ 
ness ? 


THE CHANGES OF EARTH. 


The subject I have selected from which to 
draw a few inferences to entertain you at this 
time, is The Changes of Earth. I have not 
chosen this subject, thinking that I could give 
you an instructive lesson from it, or tell you any¬ 
thing that even your own observation, would not 
show you. But it is an interesting subject for 
every thinking mind to contemplate, and is to 
me, and I think will be to you, full of interest, 
as we follow it out. It is a subject upon which 
the finished rhetorician and the accomplished 
orator, might display their utmost abilities with¬ 
out fathoming its depths. Therefore my feeble 
efiorts cannot be expected to do justice to the 
subject. I shall endeavor to notice some of the 
changes that have taken place, and present them 
in the form of contrasts between the past and 
the present. 

The earth is the vast field of man’s actions, 
and therefore its changes naturally affect us all. 
And, as we all have our part to act through life, 
74 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


75 


when we come to notice changes produced from 
age to age, the subject certainly is interesting. 
As man is engaged in the busy pursuits of life, 
and his mind engrossed with its realities as well 
as its imaginations, although actually engaged in 
the improvement of his community along with 
his fellow-laborers, the changes are so gradual 
that we scarcely notice them, except they are 
brought out under our own supervision, or spring 
up in the form of public benefits or works of in¬ 
ternal improvement. 

The changes of earth are constantly occurring, 
and they depend altogether upon the power that 
man has to do good or evil. The changes are 
not all for the better. Would we could say they 
were. Many of them tend towards elevating 
the human race, keeping the progressive sys¬ 
tem of Reform in motion, pushing forward the 
tide of Civilisation, and promoting a proper sys¬ 
tem of Instruction to the rising generation. But 
many of them are exactly the reverse—instead 
of promoting the general welfare, we are influ¬ 
enced in the opposite direction. Instead of bin¬ 
efitting us, they leave us in a worse condition, by 
the powers of degradation they have exerted 
over us. But we contend that those of the first 
class far overbalance the latter, because we be¬ 
lieve the world advances in moral improvement. 


76 


TIIE YOUNG STUDENT. 


There are two classes of changes which I intend 
noticing, those that I think claim our attention 
more than any others, because they affect sensi¬ 
bly our own condition, as we are brought more 
or less into prominent positions through life, or 
according to the means we possess individually. 

The first class of changes we shall notice, are 
those visible to us all, wrought out by the corporeal 
labor of man, and im which his ingenuity is won¬ 
derfully displayed. Such are the public improve¬ 
ments of our day, and also the traces that the 
hand of Time has made, as centuries have rolled 
by. These I would call the Exterior Changes of 
Earth, because they affect principally the out¬ 
ward appearance, and also contribute much to¬ 
wards lessening the labors of man, and are as a 
natural consequence of great utility to him. 

The second class I shall notice, are the Moral, 
social, and political Changes of the Earth, as 
the progress of civilisation, the advancement of 
the arts and sciences, and improvement in soci¬ 
ety ; also, the rise and fall of nations and the 
changes they have undergone in regard to gov¬ 
ernments, as handed down to us through the pages 
of history, which is the index of the past, and the 
medium from which we receive our knowledge 
of past events. The exterior changes we might 
spend much time in noticing, because they are 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


77 


innumerable; for man is an ingenious being, al¬ 
ways studying something new, his inventive fac¬ 
ulties always at work on something fresh and 
novel, and also useful, to take the place of some¬ 
thing old and of little utility. And, as imitation 
is a law of nature, one will imitate another, and 
exceed him if possible. In this way a spirit of 
rivalry stimulates all to improvement; one nation 
will not be behind another in works of improve¬ 
ment ; and thus the changes go on slowly but 
surely. The first we shall notice are the public 
improvements of our country. 

The Magnetic Telegraph is stretched across 
our land, intersecting at every public place, bear¬ 
ing information with the speed of lightning, with 
precision and correctness. The whistle of the 
steam engine is heard through every valley, as 
it travels the iron track, bearing the productions 
of our conntry to distant parts, increasing the 
rate of travel tenfold to what it was half a century 
ago. Every river is filled with steamboats, car¬ 
rying and exchanging the productions of one 
country to that of another. These are some'of 
the most wonderful improvements and changes 
of our age, and present a contrast with the means 
possessed by our forefathers a few centuries ago. 

The hand of Time has left many traces behind it. 
Let us look towards the Old World, and note 


78 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


some of the changes there. Where once stood 
those famous cities, noted for their beautiful ar¬ 
chitecture, the elegant display of the art of man, 
now nought remains but heaps of ruins. Where 
once stood the most gorgeous edifices, now lie 
the blackened and charred masses of decay. In 
those streets where once the refinement of the 
Old World flourished, now is found the den of 
the fox, beneath the ruins. Where once stood 
Tyre, the “ Queen City of the Sea,” fishermen 
spread their nets on the desolate rocks, and the 
bright waves roll majestically over its marble 
columns. The owls hoot and the bats take up 
their abode in the ancient halls of kings and 
princes; and the whistling wind makes sad music 
through the rents of once gorgeous palaces. And 
while the tempest howls and the storms rage 
furiously over these relics of the past, we forget 
the scenes that transpired in those places centu¬ 
ries ago, when they stood in their glory, the pride 
of the world. As the weary pilgrim journeys 
through the streets of Jerusalem, his thoughts 
must revert to its former glory; and if those 
men of ancient times could now stand on Mount 
Zion and view the sacred city, they would ex¬ 
claim, c6 How are the mighty fallen!” Where once 
stood, in all their glory, the seven churches of 
Asia, nought but the foundations remain, and the 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


79 


desert winds heap the dust far above them. And 
over the hones of the prophets of ancient times, 
now rings forth the shepherd’s voice. 

It is peculiarly interesting to note the dif¬ 
ferent events that, century after century, have 
transpired on the same spot. Even this noble 
country of ours was once covered with towering 
forests, of which now scarce a vestige remains, 
and in their stead we have the fertile fields and 
verdant valleys, abounding with the yellow corn 
and ripening grain. Where the Red Men of the 
Forest once roved in rude barbarity and total 
ignorance, now move a highly educated and in¬ 
tellectual race. Where the Indian’s Wigwam 
arose, now stand the proud cities of the east, in 
all their glory. Where the stealthy tread of the 
wolf and panther once resounded, as pursued 
by the savage hunters through the boundless 
forest, now industrious freemen cultivate fertile 
fields, that bring forth every variety of produc¬ 
tions. These are some of the exterior changes. 
We might notice many more, but we think these 
sufficient for our purpose at this time. 

I will now refer to the second class, and shall first 
notice a few changes in the ruling powers of the 
Old World. Kingdoms have arisen, have become 
the most powerful in the world, and yet have 
been conquered and fallen again into decay. 


80 


TIIE YOUNG STUDENT. 


Empires have flourished for a time, until some 
retrograde power overcame them, and they now 
are weak and feeble. Spain, once the most pow¬ 
erful kingdom in Europe, is now, in strength, 
one of the most feeble. Turkey, or the Otto¬ 
man Empire, was once a powerful nation, and 
possessed a vast extent of territory. But it has 
been much diminished, and at present has but 
little influence in European affairs. Changes 
have taken place thus throughout the whole of 
Europe, and although it contains fifty-six inde¬ 
pendent States, they are all controlled by the five 
great ruling powers. Asia has been the seat 
of some of the most powerful Empires of an¬ 
cient times, hut has made but little improvement 
in the arts and sciences, and consequently does 
not keep pace with other countries, and its influ¬ 
ence is greatly weakened. In Africa, the cele¬ 
brated country of Egypt, noted for its antiquity 
and early civilization, and also for its magnifi¬ 
cence, was once subject to Turkey for a long 
time, then became independent, and is now again 
a hereditary government. Monarchs and Kings 
have conquered, at times, nearly the then known 
world; and they in their turn have been conquer¬ 
ed, their powers wrested from their hands, and 
they left weak, wretched and degraded. * 

We live under one of the best governments in 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


81 


the world. We are a Nation that is looked up 
to by all civilized nations throughout the world. 
We know the value, and appreciate the blessings, 
of free government. And what have been the 
changes here ? Where this glorious nation now 
exists, but a few centuries ago no government 
was established. Rude, barbarous and uncivil¬ 
ized tribes of ignorant and superstitious savages 
lived with scarcely a form of government among 
them. What a mighty change has taken place 
on this Continent, since the time of its discovery 
by Columbus! It has far excelled all the fancy 
sketches of man’s imagination. Nothing half so 
glorious could have been believed; but the noble 
powers of statesmen and warriors have wrought 
these changes for us. We can conceive the grand 
motives they had in view, but cannot express 
them, and do not appreciate them as we should. 
When this glorious Union was established, our 
Flag boasted of but thirteen stars in her constel¬ 
lation. Now, as it waves majestically over us, 
we see, with pride and admiration, that number 
increased to thirty-four. And where, I may 
ask, are those patriots, who laid the foundation 
of our government ? Where those noble states¬ 
men, who reared the fabric from its base ? Where 
our noble forefathers, who fought the battles of 
our Independence ? Those men of sterling minds, 


82 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


whose blood cemented together this glorious 
Union, and left it as a model to the world, 
where are they now ? They have left us. 
Here is a sad change. Others have taken their 
places; but ah ! we have often felt their loss. 
They have left us a rich legacy behind, which it 
becomes us to protect, with the same spirit its 
founders fostered in their bosoms, when they 
first felt the blessings of Liberty. But ah! they 
are gone ! Yet we still sacredly reverence their 
memories. The towering marble marks the spot 
where their ashes repose, and calls to mind the 
memories of the past. 

In regard to the last point, the moral 
and social changes of the world, I will say but 
little. In Africa and Asia there has been but 
little change for centuries back. Ancient his¬ 
tory tells us of the same manners and customs 
existing, that exist at the present day. Through 
Europe the progress has been rapid. Although it 
was the last country of the Eastern Continent, 
to embrace civilization, yet it has far outstripped 
them all. In our own country, Education has 
attained a noble standard. Refinement in soci¬ 
ety has made a rapid progress. The forms of 
free government are well understood. Arts and 
sciences have been cultivated and prosper nobly. 
Agriculture and the Mechanical Arts have been 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


83 


carried to as great a degree of perfection as in 
any other country on the globe. Much of the 
refined literature of the Old World, whose au¬ 
thors instructed their fellow-countrymen centu¬ 
ries ago, has now fallen into disuse, and the au¬ 
thors themselves have passed into oblivion, while 
other productions, better adapted to the present 
age, have taken their place. But there is another 
change I would notice, and a sad change it is to 
us. For nearly a century, since the foundation 
of our loved Union, we have lived in peace and 
harmony among ourselves, all claiming and all 
receiving the same rights and privileges under 
our liberal constitutional government. But what 
is the state of our country now ? Instead of 
prosperity and happiness, disorder and strife ; 
instead of Union and peace, disunion and civil 
war. Rebellion is raging through our land, blast¬ 
ing our future prospects; destroying villages and 
towns; laying our country waste; and worse 
than all, slaying many of our fellow-countrymen. 
This is an unhappy change for us at present. 
But we trust the day is not far distant, when Har¬ 
mony and Peace shall again be restored to us. 
And, as all nations have * experienced changes, 
perhaps this is for our benefit. We may plant our 
foundations perhaps on a firmer basis than ever, 
and show all nations that we are invincible in war. 

6 


84 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


These are all the changes I shall notice. As 
I have chosen a wide field for my subject, I might 
notice many others, as important and as inter¬ 
esting as these. It was not my intention to 
draw my essay to a tedious length; at all events 
time would not permit ; and I have naturally 
hastened over all the changes with hut a passing 
notice. I might take a prospective glance into 
the future. The changes will be no doubt as vari¬ 
ous as heretofore. A hundred years to come, 
and this present generation shall have passed 
away, and another shall have taken its place ; and 
the changes occurring in that time, will no doubt 
form ample scope for the labor of future histo¬ 
rians. With these few thoughts which I have 
thrown hastily together I will close, hoping and 
asking that you will criticise me freely and fairly, 
taking into consideration the fact that this is my 
first attempt at essay writing for the public. 


LAUREL HILL. 


Having paid a hasty visit to the Laurel Hill 
Cemetery, I will try to give you a descrip¬ 
tion of the place. It being the first time I ever 
visited any of the large and beautiful cemeteries 
with which our country abounds, you may well 
suppose that I was somewhat surprised at the 
contrast presented here, to the humble little 
burying grounds, some of which are so neatly 
arranged, that are attached to nearly every 
church throughout the country. The display is 
grand indeed. 

Situated as the cemetery is on the banks of 
the Schuylkill,,you can stand on the rocks that 
project hundreds of feet from the water’s edge, 
and the scenery is wild and romantic. As you 
gaze on the pearly waters flowing far below, the 
verdant valleys on the opposite shore, the hills 
in the distance studded with the lofty trees and 
sturdy undergrowth, all these lend enchantment 
to the scene, and the lover of Nature can see 
much to admire. And as we stroll over the 
85 



86 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


grounds, following up the meandering paths, a 
grand sight is before us ; the stately marble mon¬ 
uments mark the resting places of natives of 
every quarter of the globe. Here repose the re¬ 
mains of the good, the great, the brave, the 
noble, the philanthropist, the public benefactor, 
and men who fought in the battles of our country 
during the rebel war, and a tribute is paid to 
their memory by their fellow-countrymen, on the 
marble which marks their resting place. Monu¬ 
ments of every style of architecture, meet your 
gaze as you wander along, and inscriptions, em¬ 
blems and devices of nearly every kind are carv¬ 
ed thereon. Many a'lesson maybe learned from 
these inscriptions on the marble here, as they 
stand dedicated, by friends that are left behind, 
to those that are gone before. Against the side 
of the hill, on one of the lonely but romantic 
spots on the grounds, almost overhanging the 
precipice, is a vault, hewn or blasted from the 
solid rocks, with heavy granite front and large 
iron door, in which we w^ere told reposed the re¬ 
mains of the celebrated Dr. Kane. There is no 
inscription thereon to tell who lies therein; but 
all visitors, who know his remains are deposited 
at Laurel Hill, wish to see the spot, and on ac¬ 
count of its situation it can seldom be designated 
without a guide. 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


87 


The grounds of Laurel Hill are generally en¬ 
closed with beautiful ornamental fences, which 
adds much to the appearance of the grounds, 
and if the lovers of art can see nothing to ad¬ 
mire here, no other spot need be visited. It is 
also delightful to walk under the shade trees 
which abound throughout the grounds, and which, 
x at this season of the year, by the foliage there¬ 
on, protect us from the scorching rays of the 
sun. And to this add the beautiful display of 
flowers of every kind; the beautiful roses, of every 
variety, form and shade, that bedeck the grounds 
throughout, making the air, as it comes cool and 
refreshing from the river below, fragrant with 
their odors, and no one can fail to enjoy a trip 
through Laurel Hill, and if they wish can learn 
many a moral lesson there. 


THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE. 


Opening Address at a Literary Exhibition. 


Ladies and Gentlemen, —As it has fallen to 
my lot to address you first from this stage this 
evening, I will endeavor to do the best I can to 
entertain you for the few moments of the time I 
shall occupy. And as it is my first attempt at 
anything like delivering a speech before an au¬ 
dience of this kind, I hope my hearers will for¬ 
give me if I fall short of their expectations. I 
also hope they will not expect to hear a flowery 
speech, delivered in the most eloquent manner, 
(such as you might expect from an experienced 
lecturer) this evening. But I (as a representa¬ 
tive of this Association) can say that we are 
gratified to see that we are so fully patron¬ 
ized, by the appearance of an audience like the 
one before us. 

As a band of youths we have formed ourselves 
into an organization, and attempted to raise an 
exhibition, which would be calculated to amuse 

88 




LITERARY REMAINS. 


89 


and interest an audience and likewise be instruc¬ 
tive and beneficial to ourselves. Our object is to 
improve ourselves, and not as a merely specula¬ 
tive concern to make a paltry sum. To do this 
we have gone to considerable pains and trouble, 
and have been at considerable expense at fitting 
up things for your accommodation, and all we 
ask of you is a trifling sum to assist us in de¬ 
fraying our outlay of expenses. As popularity 
is one great end which must be brought to bear 
to make an entertainment of this kind successful, 
we have styled ourselves the “ Sons of the Red, 
White and Blue” —a name suggesting itself 
to us as appropriate, patriotic and influential. 
Our motto is “ Liberty and Union forever: suc¬ 
cess to the Red, White and Blue.” And as this 
is the first attempt of this Association to raise 
an entertainment of this kind, as it is in fact 
the appearance of most of us for the first time 
on the public stage, I hope you may not judge 
too severely of this our first attempt. Yet 
please criticise freely but fairly; point out to us 
our want of courage, or our rashness. Where we 
stray from our path of duty, let us be correct¬ 
ed; so that we may, as our desire is, as we grow 
older grow wiser. 

Well do we know (and so do you, my hearers,) 
the importance of being able to address an audi- 


90 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


ence at any time or upon any subject you please. 
But it is not every one that can do it. There al¬ 
ways is a certain awkwardness at first, which 
makes the speaker feel that he will fail in his 
undertaking. But this, with one who makes 
public speaking a practice, will entirely wear 
away; and knowing this, as you all do, you may 
expect somewhat of timidness on our part per¬ 
haps. Bemember we are not old stagers, used 
to laboring against these storms. But we know 
that one wishing to ascend the ladder of Fame 
must begin slowly and surely at the bottom; and 
then by arduous labor and strict integrity he 
may expect to ascend gradually until he reaches 
the topmost round, and there receives the plau¬ 
dits of his fellow men, for a just and honorable 
life of toil. 

It is not our intention to make actors of our¬ 
selves. Far from it. But it is our only desire to 
improve ourselves and entertain you this evening, 
and we sincerely hope that we shall not be disap¬ 
pointed in our expectations. We hope that not 
one of you shall go away thinking that you have 
not been fully repaid for your time and trouble 
in coming. 

We have adopted a title and motto of which 
we are proud. And may we not well be proud 
of it, my hearers; for who, as a citizen of this 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


91 


United Republic, would not be proud to answer 
to that title ? None, I say, but a traitor to his 
country, false to true principles, and a tyrant to 
his own will. But so long as the Stars and 
Stripes of that glorious flag be flung to the 
breeze, and be wafted by the winds that blow 
from the four quarters of the earth, may we be 
proud of our glorious Republic. For our coun¬ 
try’s cause we live, and I trust not one of us 
would be slow to defend that Liberty which we 
so highly prize, and which was so dearly bought 
for us by the blood of our ancestors. 

We live in an age which has never been sur¬ 
passed for general improvements. In everything, 
inventions seem to take the lead, and many very 
useful and ingenious inventions have been brought 
forth within the last ten or twenty years. Some 
have termed this a fast age, an age of “ Go 
aheadativeness ;” and in fact this seems to be a 
very appropriate name, for “ go ahead” seems to 
be the motto of almost every one. Every man 
seems to want to rival every other one, in 
every enterprise he may undertake. The irre¬ 
sistible motto “ go ahead” seems to inspire every 
one with a desire to outstrip his fellow, from 
the youthful school boy to the man of gray hairs 
and wrinkled brow. The wiry politician and the 
subtle office-seeker exert themselves in every way 


92 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


imaginable to become famous, and secure for 
themselves their great end—an office under our 
government. Thus we see every one as it were 
saying Go ahead; and we, as the Sons of the 
Red, do not pretend to be a whit behind the age, 
but as we hear the echo die away, we take up the 
sound and make it again re-echo, over hills and 
valleys as firm and sure as ever—Go ahead; on¬ 
ward and upward! 

Education has taken a more noble stand at 
this time than it ever occupied before. And it 
seems that it is still making a gradual progress 
towards perfection, in both our common schools 
and our higher seminaries of learning. Agricul¬ 
ture is carried on with a zeal that has never been 
equaled since the discovery of our Continent. 
The mechanical arts are rapidly progressing, and 
the sturdy workman knows full well the price 
paid for the improvement of his trade, and in 
consequence thereof plies his energy with alac¬ 
rity and zeal, to make for himself a livelihood 
in his honest calling. The sons of poverty and 
toil can place themselves on a footing that may 
be envied even by the progeny of the Misanthrope 
or Millionaire, by strict integrity and arduous 
labor, and can promote himself to a position 
from which he can review his life of toil with 
ease and satisfaction. But one thing must be 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


93 


always remembered, that honesty and pure disin¬ 
terested integrity must always go united, hand 
in hand, and prosperity will surely follow. 


IMPORTANCE OF AN AIM IN LIFE. 


The most important period of life is that in 
which it becomes the duty of each and every 
person to select for himself a vocation, upon 
which to bestow the labors of a lifetime. The 
importance of this can be seen from the simple 
and evident fact, that, the usefulness of every 
person depends wholly upon his own labors. For 
success, it is therefore a question of paramount 
importance, that this vocation should be well 
chosen. It should be one to which there exists 
a natural genius, and upon which his time and 
energy can be pleasantly bestowed. The paths 
of duty should be sought out, and assiduously 
followed. Duty requires’every person to be use¬ 
ful, and to use his vigor and talents in such a man¬ 
ner that the world may be the better for his 
having lived in it. 

It is, therefore, of inestimable importance, that 
every person should have an aim in life ; that his 
actions and motives should be centred upon the 
attainment of some certain end, so as to be the 

94 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


95 


better able to perform the duties which devolve 
upon him. 

The youth who wanders from his home for the 
sake of enjoyment, or for the mere idea of passing 
away the time, as he views the many meandering 
paths which extend in every direction before him, 
and cares not whither his steps shall lead him, or 
what shall be his destination, will naturally choose 
for his journey those which are the most pleasant, 
which present the least obstructions and require 
the least exertion; thus avoiding the exertion of 
his great and noble strength. But he who in 
the vigor of manhood, with a desire of investiga¬ 
tion or discovery, will choose for the attainment 
of his object the less frequented but far more ro¬ 
mantic paths; to follow which, he must scale the 
mountains, leap the precipices, and overcome what 
would seem almost insurmountable difficulties; 
and the greatest pleasure he enjoys after the re¬ 
alization of his object in his research, is, the test 
of his manly vigor. He has an end in view, and 
for its attainment he spends his time and energy 
willingly. This is what is requisite to ensure 
success. Without this a man is liable to devote 
his time to vain and frivolous enjoyments ; his 
nature induces him to choose that course in which 
he can spend life easily and pleasantly without a 
trial of his powers or a test of his energies. 


96 


THE YOUNG STUDENT' 


Thus the spring time of youth will pass away, 
the summer of manhood dawn and decline, and 
he will still wander on in his habitual rounds 
until the autumn of old age and the winter of 
decay place him in the grave. Ilis life is spent, 
and neither he nor the world are the better for 
his having lived. 

But he who begins at the proper period in life, 
with a burning desire for the attainment of some 
noble object, and who chooses the profession or 
vocation most probable to conduce to that attain¬ 
ment, has an incentive to inspire his manly am¬ 
bition. It leads him onward, and as each new 
obstacle is surmounted he sees his fond object 
nearer his grasp, until finally, as a reward for his 
diligent labor, he has the gratification of gaining 
his coveted object, and the satisfaction of knowing 
that it is a recompense for his masterly exertions. 
His life then has not been spent in vain, and 
when he is taken from the scene of his active 
labors, his works remain as a living monument. 
The difference between these lies simply in the 
fact that the last had an “aim in life.” 

It is a philosophical fact, that intense heat can 
only be produced when the rays converge to a 
single point. So with the labors of man. Pro¬ 
found productions are seldom produced except 
the whole talent, energy, and ability of the orig- 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


97 


inator are directed towards, and centered upon 
that certain object. He who would devote his 
time promiscuously to painting, sculpture, elo¬ 
quence # and poetry, we would never expect to ex¬ 
cel, or even gain any considerable degree of 
proficiency in either. But by an earnest appli¬ 
cation of his talents exclusively to either, if he 
have any genius in that direction, he cannot fail 
to win for himself a reputation. If guided by 
genius in the choice of an object, by a proper 
method of culture, he will become skillful. 

An aim in life is also essential for the reason 
that a man’s life would be useless if spent in 
vain and trifling enjoyments. The strength and 
vigor imparted to him by his Creator should be 
used for his own improvement and the advance¬ 
ment of the world. We would call that man 
foolish who would spend his strength in beating 
the air, or lavish it profusely upon objects upon 
which it produces no material change; but he is 
infinitely more foolish who spends the vigor of a 
lifetime in heating the air—if we may thus call 
a series of trivial gratifications, in which so many 
precious hours are spent without benefitting any 
one in the end. 

The marksman, who would discharge his piece 
at random, would have hut a narrow chance of 
striking any object to which he wished his shot 


98 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


to be directed ; and he cannot have the least as¬ 
surance that he will hit the mark, unless he takes 
a sure and steady aim. Thus it is that a desire 
to obtain an object, is not of itself sufficient to 
insure its possession ; but nevertheless the desire 
is a strong incentive to action, and in connection 
with a suitable effort, furnishes every requisite. 

Man, in selecting that aim, should not fear to 
set it too high; for unless he aim high, he can¬ 
not gain a high position any sooner than the ar¬ 
row from the bow of the marksman would reach 
a high destination, when it was directed towards 
the earth. Let the mark be set high, and if it is 
not reached, yet the ambition may be destined 
for a higher flight, than if satisfied at first with 
less exalted aspirations. The youthful mind of 
Napoleon, over whom imagination swayed her 
sceptre supreme, saw in the dim vista of the fu¬ 
ture, the Crown of the French Nation portending 
to him who should be able to win it. The young 
conqueror set his mark high, but by his indomit¬ 
able energy, and unwearied ambition, he sought 
its attainment, and persevered until he placed 
that crown upon his brow. This is a noble illus¬ 
tration of wbat can -be accomplished by having 
an aim in life. All cannot be Napoleons, it is 
true, but as few are gifted with his ambition, few 
will have his aspirations, and the conquests made 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


99 


may be less grand, but will be equally as noble. 

It is undoubtedly true, that there are many 
paths 'which, if followed, would eventually lead 
to the same destination; but he who has but a 
Lmited'time allotted him to perform a journey, 
adopts an indifferent policy if he does not choose 
the shortest or most available route. This is 
equally applicable here, for life, at best, is but 
short, and the work man has to do, must be done 
quickly. How essential, then, that his aim 
should be established early, and that everything of 
minor importance should be made to yield to the 
demands of his darling object. Imagine to your¬ 
selves a ship at sea, without a compass to direct 
its course, and every star enveloped by thick 
clouds of darkness, sailing in proximity to the 
breakers, and you will say that frail bark, freight¬ 
ed with its precious load of human life, can only 
be saved by the interposition of an Omnipotent 
hand. But he w 7 ho passes lazily along the 
sea of life, blown hither and thither by the 
winds and currents of care and sorrow, with no 
end in view to give him energy to brave life’s 
storms and courage to resist its temptations, oc¬ 
cupies an equally precarious position ; and fortu¬ 
nate will he be if by chance he is not left to be¬ 
moan forever his utter disregard of duty. 

7 


TRUE CONQUESTS.. 


Conquests are acquisitions made in a contest, 
by a preponderance of power exerted by the con¬ 
quering party over the conquered. In the com-, 
mon signification of the term, we naturally pre¬ 
suppose a just termination of the combat, when 
we speak of a conquest; but, in the more com¬ 
prehensive view, when two parties are engaged 
in a strife, one contending for, and the other 
against, a certain issue, from a moral standpoint 
of judging, one may be right, and the other 
wrong; but either party coming off victorious 
wins the conquest. Therefore considering the 
question in this manner, conquests, according as 
the designs of the successful party, have been 
just or unjust, may be true or false. 

History informs us of the conquests that na¬ 
tions have made. Biography acquaints us with 
the victories gained by eminent, renowned and 
ambitious men. We find both these channels of 
information overflowing with endless accounts of 
100 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


101 


battles, revolutions and victories. Caesar, for 
his own aggrandizement, contended long and 
successfully with the Western nations of Europe. 
Alexander, in the East, could weep, when his 
work was done, that he had not found another 
world to conquer. Napoleon, for the gratifica¬ 
tion of his ambition, fought battle after battle, 
and made conquest after conquest. But we can¬ 
not believe that all these conquests are true ones, 
according to our estimate. 

True Conquests are those which make a strong 
and durable impression for good on the human 
family; impressions which improve the condition 
of mankind, and mark upon the destiny of man 
a change, that will make him more competent to 
fulfill the great ends of life, and better fitted for 
self-government. 

Nations may send out their armies, for the pur¬ 
pose of making acquisitions of territory, till they 
can boast that upon their domains the sun never 
ceases to shine. Ambitious conquerors may in¬ 
scribe their names on the world’s tablet of fame 
higher than any rival, by overthrowing monarch¬ 
ies, dethroning kings, emperors, or dictators; 
but, unless the condition and welfare of their 
subjects have been elevated, their conquests are 
not true ones. 

But conquests of Justice and Freedom over 


102 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


Tyranny and Oppression, are true ones; because, 
the pernicious influences of the latter tend to 
keep men and nations in a barbarous and miser¬ 
able condition, while the salutary influence of 
the former will give them a directive power to 
high and noble forms of government. The sub¬ 
jects of aristocratic and tyrannic rulers, who hold 
the power of life and death in their hands, can 
never attain to any degree of perfection in the 
arts and sciences. When men know they are 
slaves, or subject to the will of another, their 
minds are shackled and cannot rise above the 
bigoted and prejudiced views of their masters; 
they have no incentive to rise above the low posi¬ 
tion they occupy, and no honorable ambition ac¬ 
tuates them, because of their limited power. 
They are aware they cannot cope successfully 
against the unrestrained will of tyrants. By 
tyranny and oppression the higher and nobler 
passions are restrained. But, when the gallant 
form of Freedom rears its head, the props which 
support the tyrant are removed, and the yoke 
taken from the neck of the bondmen. Then the 
minds of a free and untrammeled people can, 
with justice triumphant, run parallel with the 
course designed by the Almighty. Then, the 
victors can rear on the ruins of a corrupt [and 
unjust government, a proud, free and happy na- 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


103 


tionality, whose corner-stone shall be Liberty, 
and foundations Equity. If only such a conquest 
then is a true one, everywhere should the shackles 
of the bondman he broken, and tyrants receive 
their just reward. “ Sic Semper Tyrannis .” 

Again, because Ignorance is a great obstacle 
to the progress of civilization, a conquest gained 
over it would be a true., on^. Blind ignorance 
causes its votaries many a fatal fall, and, by its 
direct antagonism to progress, opposes every 
step towards improvement. But when forced to 
give way to enlightened opinion, then the mind, 
freed from its influence, is capable of acting in 
a higher and nobler sphere; and when intelli¬ 
gence becomes universal throughout a nation, 
they may then boast that they occupy a high 
position in the ranks of civilized nations. The 
man who aids in establishing knowledge and dif¬ 
fusing general intelligence where ignorance had 
previously reigned triumphant, has won a true 
conquest, and his name should be indelibly stamp¬ 
ed in letters of gold, among the list of public 
benefactors. When enlightened Opinion succeeds 
in hurling Superstition to the ground, never to 
rise, another true conquest will be gained. 

Whenever Truth and Error come in contact, a 
true conquest is made ; for the flimsy shield of 
Error, cannot parry successfully the blow from 


104 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


the strong arm of Truth. But, when Falsehood 
receives its death blow, that will be the grandest 
Conquest of all. 


REBELLION AND LOYALTY. 


The tempest of Rebellion is devastating our 
country; the dark form of Civil War has cast 
its blighting shadows over our land. One sec¬ 
tion of the Union is arrayed in arms against the 
other, with a hate as violent and bitter as it is 
possible for a sectional partizan spirit to produce. 
One faction is battling furiously for the over¬ 
throw of the government and the dissolution of 
the Union, while the other is eagerly contending 
for the supremacy of the government and the 
preservation of the Union. The latter party 
hold the reins of government, and have used 
their utmost endeavors to allay the tide of war, 
ere it sweeps over our whole land, to crush rebel¬ 
lion and re-establish their just rule. 

The last three years have been a time of deep 
solicitude to every loyal heart. The administra¬ 
tion have had a mighty power to contend with, 
and it has required a herculean effort, on their 
part, to keep our nation, seemingly, from utter 
ruin. To combat successfully with such desper- 
105 



106 


THE YOUN9 STUDENT. 


ate cases, they have been obliged to resort to 
desperate means. Many of the official acts of 
the President have been zealously assailed by his 
political opponents, throughout the loyal States. 
These men aimed to baffle his efforts and counter¬ 
act his influence, by opposing the policy upon 
which he chooses to conduct the war. They 
weaken the army by opposing the measures taken 
to enlarge it; they incite bitter partizan prejudi¬ 
ces against the President and his cabinet, and 
thus divide the sentiment of the people upon the 
issues of the war. In fact, they have left no 
means untried that would conduce to weaken or 
to disgrace the Chief Executive of our govern¬ 
ment. 

When these improprieties are charged home 
against them, they endeavor to defend themselves 
by a course of fallacious reasonings. When 
these fallacies are exposed they finally take re¬ 
fuge behind this argument: That their conduct 
is justifiable, because they do not oppose the 
government, but only the administration. 

Here arises the question for discussion, whether 
the administration constitutes the government or 
not, and whether a person can resist the admin¬ 
istration and still be a good citizen. To prove 
the affirmative of the first and the negative of 
the second statement, is the object of this essay. 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


107 


In the exercise of government there must he 
two parties considered, the governing and the 
governed. This is evidently implied in the sig¬ 
nification of the term. I need scarcely apply 
this to our form of government. The masses of 
the people form the party controlled, and those 
in authority the ruling power. These are placed 
in authority for the purpose of executing or en¬ 
forcing certain laws. These laws are adopted 
for the purpose of promoting the interests and 
happiness of our citizens. They are efficient in 
producing that effect, just in proportion to the 
universality of their observance, or the efficacy 
of their administration. They constitute the re¬ 
strictions required by the regulating pow T er over 
those controlled, and are in themselves a dead 
letter, and would produce little or no effect, with¬ 
out an executive power to administer them to the 
people. They may be said to be the government 
in an abstract sense. But in order that they may 
be efficient, our Constitution provides for an ex¬ 
ecutive power, and this constitutes the government 
in reality. If this power was not provided for, 
our Constitution w^ould be worthless; for there 
are those who violate it, knowing they are sub¬ 
ject to punishment by so doing ; and if no penalty 
was inflicted, such violation would be almost uni¬ 
versal. The enforcement of the laws makes them 


108 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


subservient to the ends for which they were de¬ 
signed, and therefore constitutes the action of 
government, and the regularly elected, constitu¬ 
ted and installed executive authorities constitute 
the government. 

But the most artful fallacy of all is, that while 
counseling the most daring opposition to all the 
policies of the administration, they do not oppose 
the government, or violate the laws. This is as 
absurd, as it is wicked and unjust. Our rulers 
are chosen by the people, to administer the laws 
for the people. If they are properly sustained, 
the nation receives the benefit; but if not, the 
nation suffers the injury. If a firm appoint an 
agent to manage their business, and he be resist¬ 
ed in the transaction of it, the business of that 
firm will necessarily be injured. And a power 
acting antagonistic to the government, cannot be 
otherwise than hurtful to it. A son cannot be a 
dutiful child, so long as he disobeys the just com¬ 
mands of his parent; neither can a man be a 
good citizen, while he sets at defiance the just 
authorities of the law. It is then the duty of 
every citizen, to yield a firm implicit obedience 
to those appointed to exercise authority over 
him, for by an opposite course of conduct, he 
opposes the interests of his government. 


DISCRETION. 


Of all the qualities characteristic of the mind 
of man, there are none of greater utility, or of 
more real value to him, than Discretion; nor are 
there any more easily discerned by a disinterest¬ 
ed observer of sagacity and judgment. There 
are other virtues which may predominate, and 
by their influence mark their possessor as a man 
of superior ability, of strong will, of strict integ¬ 
rity, or of indomitable courage ; but Discretion, 
with comprehensive sway over his words and his 
actions, will stamp upon a man’s character an ex¬ 
alted and true dignity, which cannot fail to be¬ 
come distinguished. 

Discretion may be defined the power to dis¬ 
criminate between right and wrong, and the abili¬ 
ty to reduce to practice, that pre-eminent motto, 
“always do that which you know to be right.” 
It can only be possessed by persons of strong 
sense and good understanding, because it is an¬ 
tagonistic to a low or mean order of intellect, or 
an undiscriminating judgment. 

109 



110 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


Its influences are, to control the thoughts by 
wisdom, and restrain the actions by prudence; 
which will undoubtedly dispel all selfish motives, 
and unjust conceptions, and thus mark every de¬ 
cision and action by liberality and justice. This 
being the case, he who enjoys its influence, must 
meet the respect and approbation of all liberal- 
minded men. 

Discretion serves to guide man to the perfor¬ 
mance of his duty, through all the various me¬ 
andering paths of society into which the pursuit 
of his avocation may lead him; just as the mag¬ 
netic needle serves to guide the mariner over the 
mighty ocean, to any port he wishes to gain. 
And he who is lacking in this quality may be 
justly compared to the traveler lost in the wilder¬ 
ness, without any beacon light to guide and di¬ 
rect his steps. 

Discretion, in its perfection, commands a quick 
perception, a ready turn of thought and presence 
of mind that courts not the applause, nor fears 
the frowns of a criticising public, in the conscious¬ 
ness of a conformity with duty. It gives a higher 
value to all other qualities with which man is en¬ 
dowed ; for without it, learning is of little conse¬ 
quence, and even virtue itself would seem to be 
but weakness. 

It may, with propriety, be called the leading 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


Ill 


virtue, because it directs all the others to the ac¬ 
complishment of noble ends ; restraining the man 
naturally daring from the commission of rash 
acts; preventing zeal from diverging towards 
bigotry; and piety from degenerating into super¬ 
stition. 

Its usefulness may be seen in the fact that, in 
man’s active life there is not a day or an hour, 
either in his youth, manhood, or in old age, but 
his discretionary powers are called into action, 
tried and tested. 

The stern realities of life present many diffi¬ 
cult and important questions for his decision and 
determination ; and if a man of sound discretion, 
he will be able to meet and solve these perplexing 
questions, satisfactorily, whenever presented for 
his consideration: but, if he is not, his prospects 
will be blasted, by disappointments, which he can¬ 
not avoid, from his want of judgment, like the 
ship which is dashed to pieces on the rocks for 
w T ant of an experienced steersman at the helm. 

Cunning may sometimes be taken, by the cas¬ 
ual observer, for Discretion, but upon examina¬ 
tion of the two, a vast difference is found to ex¬ 
ist between them. Cunning is but 1ow t and mean 
in its attainments, and selfish in its motives; but 
Discretion has high and honorable motives, and 
its attainments are noble, generous and magnani- 


112 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


mous. Cunning may sometimes conduce to man’s 
benefit in trifling personal affairs, but will never 
give him a substantial reputation, while Discre¬ 
tion will not only build for him a lasting and 
honorable reputation, but what is inestimably of 
more value, a noble and god-like character. 

Thus, it is evident, from the nature of things 
and from the proof given, that there are no qual¬ 
ities more desirable than Discretion, because there 
are none more useful, and none more easily dis¬ 
cerned, because of its commanding influence. 


KNOWLEDGE. 


I have chosen for my present subject, one that 
in itself comprehends much. In fact, partly, if 
not wholly, it comprehends every thing. It is 
simply this— Knowledge. 

I will not undertake to tell the meaning of the 
word, further than as given by Lexicographers, 
thus : “ Science, learning, skill, information, cer¬ 
tain perception, etc.” Merely to explain all the 
terms arising out of and synonymous with Knowl¬ 
edge, would require more time and space than my 
limited essay will permit me to use. Therefore, 
I will leave every one to draw his own conclu¬ 
sions in regard to this point, which all are capa¬ 
ble of doing, perhaps, more satisfactorily to them¬ 
selves, than my elucidation of it would be to 
them. Therefore, I will notice more particularly 
the manner in which we are to gain Knowledge, 
and what discretion one should use in choosing the 
branches to which he will devote his time. Inas¬ 
much as there are many young pupils of my school, 
113 



114 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


which this subject should interest, I shall also 
notice the importance of obtaining Knowledge. 

It is not an easy matter to gain a thorough 
knowledge of any branch of science, which forms 
a constituent part of education. Every thing of 
which we obtain a knowledge requires a certain 
exertion of the mind first to obtain its outline; 
then a certain exertion of the memory to implant 
it firmly and indelibly in the mind ; and these in 
connection with conception, imagination and un¬ 
derstanding, rightly appreciated and properly ap¬ 
plied, will secure the desired object. 

Pereverance is one quality essentially necessary 
to gain Knowledge. As it is obtained by a slow 
and* tedious process, it must be learned little by 
little; just as the mechanic, in constructing a 
house, does it by laying one brick on another. 
Thus with education. It consists of one little les¬ 
son added to another, until the whole is complete. 
It consists of small things, but these small things, 
when added together, become mighty. Thus, if 
there is a lack of perseverance, discouragement 
will fill the mind, and all is in vain. But this 
must be remembered, that small things make the 
mighty. Step by step will take you round the 
world. Drop by drop makes up the ocean, little 
grains of sand make the vast desert of Sahara, 
small particles of matter compose the globe. 


THEORY OF TEACHING. 


To teach successfully, the teacher must first 
strive to interest his pupils in the study he is 
going to teach them, by showing them what ad¬ 
vantage a knowledge of that study will be to them, 
lie should explain to his pupils, the manner in 
which they should study, show them that to study 
advantageously, they must keep their minds firm¬ 
ly fixed on what they are studying, and not study 
when their thoughts are wandering on other things. 
He should teach them the elementary principles 
thoroughly, and explain every difficult point sat¬ 
isfactorily to his pupils, by illustrations, practi¬ 
cal observatoins, drawing comparisons, or making 
general applications, that it may be implanted 
more firmly on the minds of his pupils. 

The teacher should also review his pupils often, 
to find whether they remember what they have 
learned and to keep it fresh in the memory, and 
teach them to apply what they learn to practical 
purposes. The teacher should remember that a 
short lesson well learned is better than a large 
115 8 



116 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


lesson half learned, and give the pupils short les¬ 
sons, and never pass over one till it is thoroughly 
learned and understood by his pupils. In exer¬ 
cising authority over his pupils, the teacher should 
be mild, but firm. Patient and enduring but 
never swerving from his line of duty. 

N. B.—I might say in beginning, I would show 
the pupils the particular position the branch I 
was going to teach, held in the circle of sciences. 


IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING 
HEALTH. 


The preservation of health is a subject which 
the human family in general, do not regard of as 
much importance as they should. Too many 
persons may be found who, for the sake of a tran¬ 
sient enjoyment, daily disregard those laws of Na¬ 
ture which govern the economy of health. Oth¬ 
ers, for the sake of ease, or on account of negli¬ 
gence, violate these laws wilfully and repeatedly, 
even when knowing that by this violation they are 
ruining their health, so sure as effect follows cause. 
This utter disregard of Nature’s laws may some¬ 
times result from ignorance, but in the majority 
of cases it originates from a want of restraint, or 
a disposition to sacrifice anything rather than a 
momentary pleasure. 

The “ Importance of Preserving Health” must 
be evident to every person, if he will pause but 
for a moment, and consider what his situation 
must be if health is forfeited. 

First, because health is essential to happiness. 

117 



118 


TIIE YOUNG STUDENT. 


This is but a secondary reason, but nevertheless 
worthy of consideration; for life would indeed be 
but misery to man, if he was deprived of all en¬ 
joyments. To secure this enjoyment, the harmo¬ 
nious action of all the faculties is requiste, for 
but little pleasure could be realized by any one 
who is tortured by pains and racked with diseases, 
or whose constitution is utterly destroyed, and 
ready to sink him to the grave. Truly, death to 
such would be but a welcome messenger, to re¬ 
lieve them from their pains. Many persons have 
ruined a naturally strong and vigorous constitu¬ 
tion, for what afforded them a temporary gratifi¬ 
cation, and as the reward for their folly, have 
spent long years of torture. 

Heath is important also, in the highest degree, 
for man’s usefulness. This world is not sitliply a 
place for man to live in for a while, and then to 
afford him a grave—a resting place until the res¬ 
urrection trump shall sound,—but there is a duty 
incumbent upon every individual, which the Al¬ 
mighty requires him to fulfill, and holds him re¬ 
sponsible for its non-performance. Labor is an 
essential part of this duty; and for labor health 
is necessary. If the physical powers are impaired, 
strength departs, native energy decreases, and la¬ 
bor of any description becomes a hardship, and 
must of necessity be discontinued. Then man’s 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


119 


usefulness is at an end, he is but a drone in soci¬ 
ety and a burden instead of an assistant. 

Another argument can be deduced from the 
well known fact, that w T ith the loss of physical 
stength, a corresponding effect is produced upon 
the intellect. The effect produced upon a tree 
by lopping off its roots, or the source by which 
it receives its nourishment, would be that it would 
immediately wither, the propagation of foliage 
and fruit would cease, and the branches would de¬ 
cay. The man who has a sound constitution, has 
also, as a general rule, a sound intellect. But if 
the physical system is disorganized, the faculties 
then refuse to perform their functions, because 
their sustenance is obtained through this source, 
just as the tree refuses to bear fruit when no nour¬ 
ishment is imparted to it. The watch is an inge¬ 
nious piece of mechanism, the main spring is the 
propelling power ; if this be removed, it is useless 
as far as the purpose for which it w T as made is 
concerned. Man is a complicated structure, fear¬ 
fully and wonderfully made. Health is the pro¬ 
pelling power of the whole physical and mental 
system; when this is lost, the phyical powers are 
sensibly weakened, and the mental powers propor¬ 
tionally enervated, and man is utterly incapable 
of performing his duty. 

A still more important reason is, that health 


120 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


once lost, can seldom, if ever, be regained. True, 
there are cases when disease lays hold of the sys¬ 
tem, and for a time baffles all the skill brought to 
bear against it, but finally succumbs under proper 
treatment, and leaves the system free again. 
But in very many cases its effects are felt for a 
long time, and even last as long as life. When 
disease becomes permanent, it tends to withdraw 
the vitality from the othewise healthy parts, un¬ 
til the whole body is impaired and sinks beneath 
its own weight to the earth, never to rise. Thus, 
many whose early prospects were favorable, w r ho 
showed signs of master minds, and whose voices 
might have been sought in the councils of nations, 
have, by a neglect of health, ruined their physical 
and mental faculties before they had arrived at 
maturity, and filled early graves—the victims of 
acquired infirmities. 

Buckminster says truly, “ though health may 
be enjoyed without gratitude, it cannot be sport¬ 
ed with without loss.” We too little appreciate 
its value and too seldom return thanks to its 
giver. But it cannot be sported with without 
loss, for the laws of Nature are unchangeable, 
and their violation brings down the irresistible 
penalty upon the offender. 

Temperance and exercise are the best preser¬ 
vers of health. These are simple remedies, and 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


121 


available to all. And this shows the importance 
of its prservation, from the fact that the Al¬ 
mighty has provided these preventers, which are 
more valuable than all the restoratives ever yet 
discovered by the skill of man. 


DU. JOSEPH PRIESTLEY. 


It is an old saying, that “ Nature, sparing of 
her prodigies, gives great men to the world only 
at periods of long intervals.” History and ob¬ 
servation prove this. But few times in the course 
of a century, men, with splendid military genius, 
astonish the world by their magnificent achieve¬ 
ments. About as frequently, men of profound 
talent attract the attention of all nations by some 
new theory of government, or political economy. 
We are called occasionally to examine the discov¬ 
eries and inventions, which men of ingenuity and 
research have brought forth in philosophical sci¬ 
ences, and the mechanical arts. 

The hero we overwhelm with applause; upon 
the statesman we lavish our praises; but upon 
the philosopher and the man of science, we bestow 
our thanks in a less boisterous manner, but far 
more appropriate and sincere. 

The man, who by his genius makes discoveries 
which tend to enlighten and benefit mankind, who 
kindles the spark by which a valuable science is 
122 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


123 


developed to a full flame, and thereby interprets 
the hidden mysteries, which for ages have been 
unrevealed, is, indeed, a public benefactor, and 
one who merits the thanks of subsequent genera¬ 
tions. 

Such a man was Dr. Priestley, and such the ef¬ 
fect of the works of his lifetime. His achieve¬ 
ments may be less brilliant to the casual observer 
than those of the patriotic hero; they may be 
less imposing to the eye than some of the valua¬ 
ble mechanical improvements; by their gradual 
introduction they may have created less sensation 
in the world, but on account of their usefulness 
and practicability, they are no less noble and hon¬ 
orable. 

He was a native of England, in which country 
he received his education, and resided for a num¬ 
ber of years. It is by his chemical investigations 
and practical application of the science of chem¬ 
istry that he is best known, although, besides this, 
he was a theologian of some note.* Beyond these 

* As a theologian, Dr. Priestley cannot be commend¬ 
ed. Nor is it the design of this article to commend 
him. He defended the outworks of Christianity against 
unbelievers, but surrendered its very citadel. A low 
materialism runs through all his views of man and of 
the Saviour, which blinds him entirely to the glory of 
Redemption. Hence, while his “Lectures on History” 
are full ol valuable information and just views of socie¬ 
ty, his “ History of the Corruptions of Christianity ” is 
full of error and absolutely mischievous.— [Ld 



124 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


his history is obscure, and many ignorant in these 
particular provinces, have never known of his ex¬ 
istence. But the general suffrage of a criticising 
public and of eminent chemists, have assigned 
him a place among the greatest masters of the 
science of chemistry. His works, considered in 
themselves, may be classed among the most use¬ 
ful productions of the human mind. Although 
many of the theories which he proposed have long 
since been discarded, and have given way to 
others, which, in the light of this age of investiga¬ 
tion, are more plausible and practicable; yet the 
impetus, which he gave to the science, aided by 
the effectual operation of the principles which he 
established, has done as much towards its ad¬ 
vancement, if not more, than the labors of any 
other man. Any one who knows the value of 
Chemistry, and the benefits which result from the 
application of its rules, must assign our hero an 
honorable position upon the scroll of fame. 

He was a man of plain and unassuming man¬ 
ners, and cared but little for the applause of 
friends or the frowns of opponents. His energy 
was indomitable, his resolution firm and unswerv¬ 
ing ; and while prosecuting his researches, he was 
never satisfied, until he had gained his desired ob¬ 
ject. 

The world has inherited much that he created. 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


125 


Many men of to-day possess a more thorough 
knowledge of this science than Dr. Priestley ever 
did; but in attaining it, they have enjoyed the 
advantages of his discoveries. He, out of a mass 
of chaos, brought order. From the works of Na¬ 
ture, which, with its numberless unw r ritten laws, 
appeared inscrutable, he wrought the problems 
of its constituents, its elements, its actions and its 
changes, and presented the solutions to his co¬ 
temporaries, in an intelligible manner. 

Although the science is not yet fully develop ed, 
yet, its study now requires but compartiveiy little 
exertion, to what it did during the last century. 
Those who now pursue it have but to follow in 
the paths marked out by their predecessors. 
But Dr. Priestley trod the intricate windings 
wherein no man had yet left his footprints; with 
his hands he laid the simple foundations of the 
work which has now grown to be a structure of 
majestic fame. He was the architect, and laid 
the original plan, while others, as time has rolled 
around, have added the modern improvements. 

As a theologian, his success was not so great, 
although in the pulpit he was a man of marked 
ability. As an author he attained considerable 
eminence; some of his works have been widely 
circulated. Many of his theological and miscel¬ 
laneous productions are excellent compositions; 


120 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


but some were obnoxious on account of the re¬ 
ligious principles which he avowed and defended. 

He was strongly attached to the principles of 
liberty, and evinced considerable interest in our 
revolutionary struggle. In the year 1791, a mob, 
having their hatred incited by political prejudi¬ 
ces, destroyed nearly all the property which he 
possessed. A few years after this, he emigrated 
to America, where he continued his active mode 
of life, by lecturing, writing and experimenting. 
His life was one of industry and usefulness; he 
practised the strictest economy of time, reducing 
all his labors to complete method and order. 

As a man of science, his name was familiar 
throughout Europe. In his declining years the 
reminiscences of his well spent life, afforded him 
much pleasure, as he had enjoyed the friendly ac¬ 
quaintance of some of the wisest and best men of 
his age. 

In his private and domestic relations, he was 
cheerful and kind : in his public life, patient and 
zealous; upon his death-couch, calm and hopeful; 
and while his remains repose in the silent grave, 
subsequent generations honor his memory, as one 
who, they consider, has been in the walks of sci¬ 
ence a public benefactor. 


THE “SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 


The “Smithsonian Institution ” was established 
at Washington, D. C., agreeably to an act of 
Congress, passed August 10th, 1846. The de¬ 
sign of this “ Institution” was originated by a 
wealthy English gentleman, “James Smithson,” 
who bequeathed a large fortune to the “United 
States” for this express purpose. The object 
for which this appropriation w T as made, and for 
which the Institution was founded, (as expressed 
in the words of the will,) was “ the increase and 
diffusion of knowledge among men.” 

It is frequently supposed that this is a National 
institution, but this is not the case; it is the es¬ 
tablishment of a single individual, and bears his 
name. The “ Government of the United States” 
is merely its guardian, to carry out the design of 
the testator, and make it effectual in its opera¬ 
tions. The object is one of the noblest that could 
have actuated its founder, and one of the most 
worthy to which wealth could have been devoted. 
Its design is two-fold: first, to increase, and 
127 



128 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


second to disseminate knowledge. The acquisi¬ 
tions to the existing circle of knowledge made 
through this instrumentality, are not stored upon 
its alcoves, for the dust of centuries to accumulate 
upon, but are reduced to practice by being dif¬ 
fused among the needy. By one channel the con¬ 
tributions flow in, and by another they gradually 
flow forth, to benefit mankind. 

There are no restrictions made, in favor of any 
particular branch of knowledge, but the whole 
compass of the arts and sciences, is entitled to its 
consideration. It has a wide field for its opera¬ 
tions,—the world ; the cyclopedia of Nature ; the 
whole human family. Its workings are of a two¬ 
fold nature. It proposes to stimulate men of re¬ 
search to produce new sciences, arts and theories, 
by offering liberal rewards for such productions, 
and also publishes and distributes treatises on all 
subjects of general interest. These theories must 
stand the test of criticism, by men of reputation 
for learning, and must prove themselves useful 
and practicable, to receive attention. 

Any person who has enjoyed, or knows the ad¬ 
vantages of education, will perceive the necessity 
of establishing institutions of this character. 
Franklin says, “ an investment in knowledge 
always pays the best interest.” Napoleon lhas 
said, “the extension of knowledge is the most 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


129 


useful, and most honorable occupation in which a 
nation can be engaged.” From* the experience 
of these men we would learn, that man is master 
of his fortune only when he has it in the shape of 
knowledge, and that the foundations of a great 
nation, depend upon the education of the people. 

The contracted limits of an essay will only allow 
us the privilege of noticing a few of the most pro¬ 
minent features of this “Institution.” A splen¬ 
did building has been erected for the purposes of 
this Institution, which in itself, for its architect¬ 
ure, is an ornament. Here a most valuable li¬ 
brary has been collected, to which the student of 
science has free access. This extensive series of 
scientific works comprises the richest collection of 
the kind in this country.* 

A laboratory has also been established, and 
placed in charge of efficient chemists. By this 
department many investigations are made, and 
experiments instituted, upon subjects which de¬ 
mand the public interest. The reports and re¬ 
sults of these examinations and experiments, are 
published, and science receives the benefit. 

; Another object of especial interest, is a “ Gal¬ 
lery of Art.” In this are exhibited a number of 

* This library, being in one of the wings, was happily 
saved this winter, at the time of the fire which destroy¬ 
ed the central building with its beautiful towers.—[E d. 



130 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


valuable and interesting portraits, -which form a 
very attractive feature of the “ Institution.” The 
portraits of Indian chiefs, executed by Stanley, 
are especially noticeable, and will become more 
and more valuable as the race which they faith¬ 
fully represent, becomes gradually extinct. 

A great number of specimens of a geological, 
mineralogical, zoological and ethnological charac¬ 
ter, have been accumulated from all parts of the 
world, and form an extensive and very valuable 
“ museum.” The explorations made in collecting 
this display, have tended to develop the sciences 
of “Physical Geography” and Natural History, 
to a greater extent than was ever before known. 
This has also incited the discovery of the un¬ 
known and uninhabited regions of the world to 
a great extent. 

Efforts are also made to procure lectures, from 
men of reputation, upon all subject that will tend 
to promote the design of the Institution. These 
are delivered in what is called the “Smithsonian 
Lecture Room,” which is one of the most commo¬ 
dious halls in the city, and arranged for this ex¬ 
press purpose. 

Meteorological observations also occupy the at¬ 
tention of the Institution, and many reliable and 
useful statistics have been gathered and published. 

The sciences of Astronomy and Geology also 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


131 


receive a full share of consideration, and many 
interesting phenomena have been explained, and 
useful observations divulged. The field for dis¬ 
covery is boundless, and new objects are continu¬ 
ally presented for investigation. Institutions of 
. this nature are the most effective agents for dis¬ 
covery, inventions, and the promotion of the libe¬ 
ral arts. 

This Institution, having but a limited capital, 
and requiring a judicious investment of it, has 
met with wonderful success. 

The name of “ James Smithson ” has been im¬ 
mortalized by his generosity in founding this In¬ 
stitution, and thus increasing and diffusing knowl¬ 
edge among mankind. 

9 


HATRED. 


Hatred is one of the strongest passions with 
which the Creator has endowed man. It is not, 
however, an original passion, but is caused by 
anger uncontrolled, and may be said to be per¬ 
manent anger. Anger is the desire of revenge, 
and will lead a man to commit many acts, which 
he would not believe himself capable of commit¬ 
ting, when not under the influence of the passion. 
But a sober, second thought may dispel this anger. 
If the man reflects upon his actions, it will make 
him sorry for them, and he can overcome anger 
itself. But not so with hate. When a man 
desires revenge, and resolves to obtain it at any 
risk, it implants in his bosom the very seeds of 
hate. When anger cannot be overcome, it 
changes to hatred. It is then the settled aver¬ 
sion of the will. 

When anger becomes permanent, it changes to 
a rank, bold, unsubdued spirit of hate ; and hate 
is of such a nature that when once it is implanted 
and takes hold on man, it seems fixed there for- 
132 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


133 


ever. It cannot be shaken from its ^dominion. 
Reason will have no effect upon the man. The 
counsel of friends will not be heeded. The ad¬ 
vice of the dearest relatives cannot change his 
purpose. It is deep as time itself, firm as a 
rock, unchangeable as the mountain. 

Hatred is certainly an evil passion, as it. does 
not awaken any of the good impulses of the 
heart. Nevertheless it is prevalent in every 
man’s nature to a certain extent. No man is 
free, no race of men are free from it. The In¬ 
dian has bowed a worshiper at its shrine. The 
monarchs of empires, the kings of nations, the 
commanders of armies, the conquerors of the 
world, have bowed to the evil passions of hate. 
On the altar of hate have been laid some of the 
most daring sacrifices that human nature has 
ever displayed, or gazed upon. The young, the 
old, in certain ways, all fall victims to it. I shall 
notice a few ways in which it works on the mind 
of man. 

It produces aversion. It produces antipathy. 
It produces repugnance. A man cannot associ¬ 
ate with any person he hates. He cannot have 
pleasure in the company of any person to whom 
he has a hatred. They are disgusting to him, 
and he will avoid them, unless it is to do them an 
injury. I will not speak to a man that I hate. 


134 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


I would s<*oner not go into society at all than to 
meet a person I hate there. It makes a man a 
Misanthropist. It causes him to exclude himself 
from society. He hates society. It also leads 
to Malice. It will produce a settled and deliber¬ 
ate determination to do ill, to revenge himself in 
some manner. 

I have already remarked that some of the 
most daring sacrifices have been offered upon this 
altar. Under its influence men have sought to 
destroy governments; kings have been dragged 
from their thrones ; princes have been murdered 
in their palaces; nations have gone to war against 
nations. Divisions of churches and secessions of 
States have been precipitated by its rancorous 
impulses. Hatred caused the assassination of 
Caesar in the Senate Chamber. Hatred caused 
the noble Horatii brother, after conquering his 
other opponents, to slay his own sister, because 
she shed a tear for her lover, who was one of the 
brothers whom he had slain in mortal combat. 
The spirit of hate impelled him to kill his lovely 
sister ; for he hated anything that pertained to or 
sympathized with them. This is the terrible 
power hatred has over man. 

A man completely under its influence has no 
control over himself. That Horatii brother no 
doubt loved his sister. Human nature demands 


LITERARY REGAINS. 


135 


that he should; but he gave way to the madden¬ 
ing power of hatred. The Indians formed con¬ 
spiracies against the white men, and murdered, 
without mercy, men, women and children, under 
the same influence. The cause of their hatred 
was resentment because the white men cut down 
their forests and destroyed their hunting grounds. 
The whites were a civilized race, and the Indians 
were not. Hence they excelled them in every¬ 
thing. This produced bursts of anger in the 
savages, which not subsiding, changed to hatred, 
and you see the effects in the history of our In¬ 
dian frontier. 


LOVE. 


Wealth is but a trouble to us, 
Though it softens many a sigh ; 
Riches do not last forever, 

We must leave them when we die. 

Honor’s but a fleeting bubble, 

Caught by chance ere it explodes ; 
Ever bringing care and trouble, 

As we travel life’s rough roads. 

Fame is with us but a moment; 

Ah ! how watchful we must be, 
Holding fast our grasp upon it, 

Or it will forever flee ! 

Beauty, too, is but a shadow, 

Fading as the summer’s bloom ; 
Time will write the fearful wrink les, 
Death will hide it m the tomb, 

Life itself is short and fleeting ; 

Like the dew upon the green, 

It has scarcely time to sparkle, 

Ere it vanishes unseen. 

A 36 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


137 


What is there that’s worth possessing ? 

What repays our toil and care ? 

If we loye, we love forever— 

Ah ! there’s consolation there. 

Hearts fast bound by love together, 
Make an Eden here below ; 
Blending w T ith the hope of heaven, 
Where no earthly trials grow. 

Such is love —the love of Jesus ! 

Precious, ever-present Friend ! 

He bestows the richest blessings, 

And his love will never end. 


\ 


THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER. 


The Christian soldier is a character we are 
bound to consider original. And originality we 
should always respect, more especially when it 
is displayed in laudable and praiseworthy mo¬ 
tives, for the advancement of public good. 

The character of the Christian is pure and 
holy. His motives are always good. His motto 
is, Do as you would wish to be done by. He 
would do no injury to any one, under penalty of 
forfeiting his life. He would lay down his life 
to do good, or to assist the needy and the suffer¬ 
ing. He acts from no selfish motives, but bases 
his actions upon his duties, and his duties upon 
the position he occupies or is capable of filling, 
or the talents with Tyhich the Almighty has en¬ 
dowed him. 

At first thought it seems almost incredible to 
conceive the idea of a character like this, moved 
to take the sword or bayonet and go forth to as¬ 
sist on the field of strife in slaying his fellow- 
men ; strewing the ground with the dead and 
138 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


139 


dying, till the crimson gore which flows from 
many a wound is drunk up by the cold earth on 
which they lie. It seems almost impossible at first 
thought, to conceive the idea that those combat¬ 
ants, who fought so furiously and bravely, show¬ 
ering in the leaden hail or charging the cold steel 
full in the face or breast of the enemy, should be 
the characters whom we know a3 Christians. 
But it is so. It can be so. It will be so. And 
it should be so. Our country is dear to the 
Christian. Not dear to him in the same way as 
it is to the wily politician, who is looking to be 
rewarded for every act of service to his country, 
no matter how trivial. Not dear to him merely 
because he expects worldly prosperity under it; 
but dear to him because he knows the foundations 
of its government are based on the principles 
taught in that book of books called the Bible, 
and therefore it is pure and holy. And it is 
dear to him because our forefathers fought, bled, 
and died in establishing the foundations of our 
government; and in rearing the fabric, cement¬ 
ed together the frame of which it is formed 
with their blood; laying down their lives on the 
altar of Liberty, and offering them up there wil¬ 
lingly, that we, their offspring, might enjoy the 
blessing, unmolested, that cost them so much 
blood; and which we are bound to protect and 


140 


TIIE YOUNG STUDENT. 


defend at the cost of our blood, or life itself. 
This is why the Christian loves his country. 
This is the reason why he draws the sword in its 
defence. It is a disinterested motive, founded 
on honor and virtue, and reared by faith. This 
is the reason why I have chosen this as my sub¬ 
ject. 

Knowing his duty to his country, the Chris¬ 
tian soldier is not long in obeying the injunctions 
of his conscience. And we find him in the ranks, 
protecting his flag, redeeming its lost honor, and 
fighting bravely for justice and liberty. He will 
not be daunted in gaining his object. He has 
left his home for the tented field, because his 
conscience would not be at ease while he remain¬ 
ed, but was continually reminding him of his 
duty; which is as binding on him as it is on 
every citizen. He shrank not back alarmed 
when his duty stared him in the face; but armed 
himself for the combat, resolved to do all in his 
power to raise this dark cloud of rebellion from 
our nation, and conquer or die in the attempt. 
With this resolve he is doing his duty, and need 
not fear to do it, for he goes forth as the minister 
of God to execute his wrath on evil doers. He 
will therefore go cheerfully where duty calls, for 
God is with him. He does not fear to die, when 
he dies in a good, just and righteous cause. 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


141 


Therefore, like Havelock and his men, he can be 
relied upon in the last extremity—the hour that 
tries men’s souls—as never swerving or delaying, 
when onward is the watchword. 

He knows no such thing as disobeying com¬ 
mand, but always obeys with a cheerful spirit, 
quickly and effectually; thereby gaining the es¬ 
teem of his superior officers. Arid by his many 
acts of kindness to those who stand in need of 
assistance, he gains the respect of all associated 
with him, that are honorable and just. Nor 
would any seek to do him an injury. Even those 
who do not act in unison with him must admire 
his actions; because it is plain to understand his 
motive, which even a casual glance will satisfy 
them is not selfish. What an influence he exerts, 
as nightly, before retiring, he kneels quietly down 
in a remote corner of his tent, and commends 
himself to the keeping of his God, thanks him 
for past mercies, and asks for fresh ones for his 
Saviour’s sake. Or, perhaps, he joins in unison 
with his tent-mates, and sings a hymn with divine 
fervor, reads a chapter for his associates; then 
joins in prayer with them, asking, for his Sa¬ 
viour’s sake and that of his country, that they may 
be recipients of mercy at his hand, and then 
commending all to God, to whom belongs the 
glory. 


142 


TIIE YOUNG STUDENT. 


This is the Christian character in camp. Who 
knows what a mighty influence may he exerted hy 
the prayers that are nightly heard arising from 
his tent ? How many a hand it may restrain 
from doing evil! How many a heart may it bring 
to reflect, and finally prepare joyfully to give up 
life on the field! How many a soul may it fill 
with the love of God! 

A Christian soldier is one of those high char¬ 
acters, who consider first their duty to God, next 
their duty to their country, then to all others. 
He performs all his other duties by first perform¬ 
ing his duty to God. And if need be that he 
should give up his life for the object, how calmly 
and composedly he awaits his exit to the next 
world ! He thinks of his Bible, wishes a portion 
read, and some one to pray; sends a few kind 
messages to kindred who shall never see him 
alive, and his last words are, “ Receive my spirit, 
Heavenly Father; and forgive my enemies, for 
they know not what they do: I die happy.” 

The Christian Soldier! We cannot con¬ 
ceive the magnitude of meaning comprehended in 
the terms. All we can do is to honor him while 
living, respect and comfort him when wounded, 
mourn his loss when dead, and build the monu¬ 
ment over his grave, in order to cherish his mem¬ 
ory and set his example before the world as 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


143 


worthy of imitation. All honor, all praise, in 
order to give him faith to persevere in his noble 
efforts to resist and overcome temptation, will we 
ever give to him—the hero of a double strife, 
and more than a conqueror through Him who has 
loved 'us. And may each one fighting in the 
ranks of our army be led to consider his ways, 
and become a Christian Soldier. 


AMERICAN VALOR. 


As the Poets of old did the Muses invoke, 

The power of their heroes to tell; 

The heroes who nobly their battles had fought, 

Or slain, on the battle-field fell; 

Of the leaders, whom valor had borne to the fight, 

Of the ranks of the true and the brave ; 

Of him who had carried the ensign aloft 
Their country to honor and save. 

So I, as I write, would solicit the aid 
Of the Muses my pen to inspire, 

That I may set forth, in poetical strains, 

Events full of glory and fire. 

'Twas a time that seemed charged with our national 
fate, 

When the breast of the bravest was sad : 

When the enemy marched in his strength on the State, 
With the prospect of conquest made mad: 

When we feared for our homes, lest the traitor should 
tread 

In his wrath o’er the dearly-bought sod ; 

Where our fathers had fought and for Liberty bled, 
Upheld by the hand of their God. 

The voice of our rulers called loudly for aid 
To the good loyal men of the North ; 

144 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


145 


That voice was no sooner heard than obeyed, 

And legions were soon pressing forth. 

And Harrisburg stood, and Carlisle was redeemed, 
And Gettysburg shattered the foe ; 

And brightly American valor has beamed 
And awakened an emulous glow. 


i 






II OME. 


Home is a sound, a name, that sends a thrill 
of pleasure through our minds whenever we hear 
it spoken. It throws a charm around us, and 
attracts us insensibly by some imaginative pow¬ 
ers and cherished memories. The heart throbs 
with delight,-the imagination is awakened, the 
soul is filled with inspiration, and all combine to 
render it sweet to our ears. 

And why is it that there is such endearment 
connected with it ? Is it totally in the abstract 
idea ? Is there such a sweet flow of sounds, 
composed so as to please the ear to such an ex¬ 
tent? No. But it is on account of the associa¬ 
tions and endearments connected so intimately 
with it, that we love it with such ardor. He who 
has spent all his days in the same quiet, happy 
home knows full well its comforts and its joys. 
But he does not appreciate it so much as he who, 
for a time, has been deprived of its pleasures. 

Who does not love a visit to the place where 
his boyhood’s days were spent ? Though strang- 
146 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


147 


ers now tread the almost hallowed ground, and 
change has wrought such contrasts on all its ob¬ 
jects, yet still it is pleasant to think of the asso¬ 
ciations connected with it. To call to mind the old 
friends with whom such hours of festivity were 
spent, to think of the circumstances under which 
these scenes were left, is an employment of the 
mind at once pleasant and sad. But this is a 
sadness that we even love, because it reminds us 
of friends lost or forgotten. 

When we as students leave our homes with 
bright prospects, there is a feeling of sadness in 
our hearts, as we bid good-bye to friends and re¬ 
lations, from whom we expect to be separated 
but for a sho^t time. And what a pleasure it is 
in our leisure hours to recall to mind pleasant 
occasions in which we have participated, and live 
them over again in our imaginations. And when 
our toils are ended at the close of each session, 
and we speed home to enjoy the brief days of 
vacation, how are our expectations glowing with 
delight, and how we enjoy those days at home! 
And if we should decide to remove to other lands 
to make our abode, to pursue our vocations, or 
achieve our Artunes, as we would take the last 
fond look of our native land, we could scarce re¬ 
frain from exclaiming, 

u Yes, my native land I love thee, 

All thy scenes I love them well.” 


148 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


And when separated far by the mighty ocean, 
we would sing the song of our country, a name 
dear to us wherever we rove. And if we should 
hear a national air of our native land, our hearts 
would fill with rapture. And if returning suc¬ 
cessfully, we would sing, 

11 Welcome are thy shores once more.” 

Home! But how does that name sound to 
those who go forth to battle for their country ? 
Who can describe the conflicting passions and 
emotions of those who leave their quiet, peaceful 
homes for the field of strife and carnage, not 
knowing whether they shall ever return to their 
friends, or whether they shall end their lives far 
from home, with not a friend to minister to their 
last wants. As one takes his friends by the 
hand for the last time, as that tender mother im¬ 
prints the last kiss on the manly cheek of her son, 
while the tears trickle down her own, he brushes 
from his eyes the gathering moisture, and waving 
his hat cheeringly, takes a last look around. 
Home fast recedes from his view, but not from 
his memory. Far away in camp, how pleasant it 
is to receive letters and to meet friends from 
home! 


POETRY OF YOUTH AND OF AGE. 


[This piece is found among the writings of J. Zimmerman Johnson, 
entrusted to the editor’s care, and is inserted here without knowing 
whether it is original or only selected.— Ed.] 

The proudest poetry of Youth 
Is—Would I were a man ! 

The golden years that lie between, 

Youth like a dream would span. 

’Tis in its thought, ’tis in its heart, 

’Tis ever on its tongue ; 

But 0 the Poetry of Age 
Is this—When I was young ! 

Thus, in the morn of Life, our feet 
Would different pathways find ; 

The sun still face to face we meet, 

The shadows fall behind. 

But when the morn of Life is o’er, 

And Nature grows less kind; 

The lengthening shadow creeps before, 

The sun-light falls behind. 

With many a mourner slow and sad 
The stream of Life flows on; 

That which we prized not when we had, 

Is doubly prized when gone. 

And many a sad and solemn truth 
Lies written on Life’s page ; 

Between the Poetry of Youth 
And Poetry of Age. 

149 



A SATIRE ON THE RAGE FOR OIL 
SPECULATION. 


Philadelphia , May 20th, 1863 . 

Mr. Cramer, —Pear Sir , — I take the liberty 
to address to you a few lines, asking your advice 
respecting a very important affair. I shall place 
implicit confidence in your judgment, knowing 
that you are a man of considerable experience. 

The matter I wish your advice upon i3 relative 
to a business affair which I contemplate taking 
an interest in. I have one hundred thousand 
dollars lying in the Bank of England, which I 
wish to employ in some profitable investment. 
An enterprise is being started in the city of 
Philadelphia by a few capitalists, brokers, law¬ 
yers and gentlemen. They have extended to me 
the privilege of entering on an equal footing with 
them, if I furnish a certain amount towards the 
capital stock. 

The scheme we have in anticipation is this. A 
modern geologist has discovered the fact that 
there is a vast amount of gold, lying deep in the 
150 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


151 


recesses of the earth, somewhere in Union 
county, Pa., and we contemplate buying the 
whole county and digging until we find it. We 
shall dispose of shares at the rate of one thousand 
dollars each, and we anticipate a very ready sale. 
I think that this is one of the most dazzling en¬ 
terprises I shall ever have offered to me, and I 
only await your approval to invest my whole cap¬ 
ital in it. If our prospects are half realized, we 
shall no doubt in a short time obtain a valuable 
fortune for our efforts; and of this I think there 
is no doubt, for this famous geologist actually 
dreamed that it lies in one of the hills .in the be¬ 
fore-mentioned county. 

Therefore you will confer a lasting favor upon 
me by giving your approval to this plan. I have 
no doubt but that you will do this, and also con¬ 
sent to take a few shares of stock. Send an an¬ 
swer by return of mail, as I shall await anxiously 
a reply. Till then, I remain, 

Your obedient servant, 

J. Z. Johnson. 


TIME. 


Time is the subject of my present essay. I shall 
treat it under several heads : first, what is Time ? 
second, what is it given to us for ? third, how 
shall we make use of it in order to prepare our¬ 
selves for the accomplishment of its grand object ? 
and fourth, how long are we to enjoy it ? 

What is Time ? It is the span that marks the 
space elapsing from our entrance to our exit from 
the scene of action. It is the few days we are 
permitted to stay on this little Eden here below. 
It steals away almost unconsciously to us, and the 
only traces w T e see of its track, the only visible 
effect it has, is seen in the decay of all that is 
mortal, the wrinkles on man’s face, and the fading 
beauty of woman. The glories of man’s work to¬ 
day are changed to deformities, after Time has 
worked his changes on them. 

What is Time given to us for ? First, to enjoy; 
then to suffer. To-day to be gay and happy; to¬ 
morrow to be troubled with remorse, unless it is de- 
152 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


153 


voted to the ends for which the Almighty design¬ 
ed it. Bat when devoted to the paramount duties 
for which God intended it, it produces the oppo¬ 
site effect. It is given us to enjoy, but not to de¬ 
vote to selfish ends—as the miser would say, a time 
to getfrich, or the profligate, a time to seek pleas¬ 
ure, to sleep, to have good living and get fat. 
For no such inconsiderate, unworthy ends was 
Time given to us, nor are we left thus to enjoy it. 

How then shall we make use of it in order to 
accomplish its great object ? It is that we may 
prepare ourselves for an everlasting Heaven; 
that we may fill ourselves with divine grace from 
on high; that we may minister to the sick, clothe 
the naked, feed the hungry, elevate the situation 
of those beneath us; to moralize the world and 
contribute to the spread of the gospel over the 
earth; in short, to make us fully prepared to die, 
and enjoy a heaven of rest from everlasting to 
everlasting. 

Lastly, let us consider how long we are to en¬ 
joy Time. We are told that it is short—that it 
is fast passing away; that in fact the angel of 
death shall sound in our ears before long this 
awful sound, Time was ; Time is ; but Time 

SHALL BE NO MORE ! * * * 

With noiseless tread death comes on man, 

No plea, no prayer delivers him; 


154 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 

From ’midst of life’s unfinished plans 
With sudden hand it severs him ; 
And ready, or not ready, no delay, 
Forth to his Judge’s bar he must away. 









\ 










JESSE JOHNSON. 










V 













TEMPERANCE, MORALITY, RELIGION. 


EXPERIENCE OF JESSE JOHNSON. 
(Born February 14,1798.) 


In the early history of my life, religion ap¬ 
peared to be at a very low ebb. Bacchus, the 
god of rum, seemed to be the only object of wor¬ 
ship. Nothing could be done without him. A 
child could not be born, a marriage could not be 
celebrated, a person could not be buried without 
intoxicating drink. It was deemed indispensable 
on all occasions. The priest, the deacon, the 
squire, the young, the old, the maiden and the 
matron, must all imbibe its exhilarating quality. 
The preacher, even when he entered the pulpit, 
frequently felt more of the effects of alcohol than 
of the spirit of his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
Men of high position in the Church and in the 
halls of Congress, mighty men, of gigantic in¬ 
tellect, fell prostrate at the shrine of Bacchus. 
Our nation more properly bore the epithet of a 
nation of drunkards than of a Christian nation. 

157 



158 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


And the same was true of the professing church 
with few exceptions. At least it so appeared at 
that time to me. 

The reformation of morals commenced about 
the year 1828 , and continued to make rapid pro¬ 
gress, here and there, through the length and 
breadth of our land. God raised up faithful 
champions in defence of the truth and noble re¬ 
formers of the public morals. He enlisted the 
co-operation of true Christians. And by the 
success of moral suasion a mighty revolution was 
accomplished. The true Christian Church was 
redeemed. Our nation was rescued from the foul 
epithet it had borne, and respectable society 
purged from the curse of perpetual intemperance 
—a system that sunk its victims to a drunkard’s 
grave and a drunkard’s hell. 

In conjunction with the reformation of morals 
the minds of the people naturally seemed to be 
turned to the true God. About this time my 
mind was directed to the importance of religion 
and of making a profession of my faith. I con¬ 
fess I had formerly thought that the church was 
very little better than the world, and thus justi¬ 
fied myself in not making a public profession. 
But I now saw that this is not a valid excuse for 
a believer in Christ. I knew at the same time 
that if I did make a public profession, it would 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


159 


be rather a curse to myself and the cause, if I 
did not become an active co-operator in the vine¬ 
yard of my Lord and Master. For he says, 
Whomsoever ye serve, his servants ye are. 
Therefore I thought that if I merely made a pro¬ 
fession, with the idea of being safer in the church 
than out* of it, it would be acting only from a 
selfish motive. 

Thirty years have now elapsed, and since then 
I have found the ways of Religion to be ways of 
pleasantness and all her paths peace. My work, 
perhaps, is nearly done in this world. My object 
and efforts have never been so much to make con¬ 
certs to any particular society, as to persuade 
them to repent and believe the truth as revealed 
in the word of God. And I have never had 
reason to regret the course that I have pursued. 
Prayer meetings have ever been my peculiar ele¬ 
ment. From house to house, in the school house, 
in the meeting house, and especially at home in 
the family and in the closet, in the field, when 
following our daily avocations, we can have our 
prayer meetings. For we are not alone. Jesus 
by his spirit is with us, wherever we lift up our 
affections to him. 

Keligion is the chief concern 
Of mortals here below ; 

May we its great importance learn, • 

Its sovereign virtue know. 


MIRROR FOR THE YOUNG. 


If we wish to succeed in any undertaking, we 
must conform to the order of Providence. This 
holds good in all the affairs of life, in spiritual 
things as well as in things appertaining to this 
world. There is system and order in all the 
works of creation, and in all the dealings of God 
with his creatures. There is a time to sow and 
a time to reap. God has done all things well, 
and made -ample provision both of a temporal and 
spiritual nature for the wants of the whole hu¬ 
man family. But if we neglect to gather in the 
golden productions of the earth in the time of the 
harvest, if we pass our time away in indolence 
and sloth, when the winter comes upon us want 
and starvation will stare us in the face. 

So in the spiritual world. God has made every 
necessary provision for our eternal welfare. “If 
you seek me,” he says, “ I will be found of you; 
but if ye forsake me, I will cast you off forever.” 
There will be no excuse in the great day of ac¬ 
count, when we stand before the judgment-seat 
160 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


161 


of Christ, on the ground that God has not dealt 
well with us. We act from choice. We have the 
force of volition in the human mind. We are not 
ignorant of the results of our decisions on all 
subjects, especially those of a spiritual character. 
He that runs may read. The book of God’s rev¬ 
elation is so plain, that though a man be a fool in 
other matters, he need not err in this. And if 
we do not attend to the salvation of our souls at 
the proper season—the time when our minds are 
wrought upon by the providence of God, by the 
preaching of the gospel, by the silent monitor of 
conscience, by the Holy Spirit operating on our 
hearts, to convince us of sin and judgment to 
come—then is the time that we deliberately seal 
our own destruction. But if we give ourselves 
up to be saved in God’s appointed way, then, 
when God is knocking at the door of our hearts 
for admission, we shall certainly obtain salvation. 

This is a very important period in the history 
of a man’s life. If we then refuse to thrust in 
the sickle, atid gather in the precious grain and 
store it up in the garner of heaven, when the 
winter of Heath comes, we will have to take up 
the lamentable cry, “ The harvest is past, the 
summer is ended, and we are not saved. When 
God called, then we refused. We have sown to 
the wind, and now we must reap the whirlwind.” 


THE WORLD AS IT IS. 


The world is a vast theatre, where vegetable, 
animal and rational life maintains itself, age after 
age, amidst the waste of death ; and where ^each 
form of life develops its distinct nature and per¬ 
forms its allotted part in the plan of Providence. 

The vegetable kingdom embraces all life that is 
merely organic, without locomotion, sensation or 
consciousness. It composes an endless variety 
of substance^, grasses, herbs, roots, trees, flow¬ 
ers and fruits, all intended as food for the animal 
creation, and to furnish nourishment, clothing 
and delight to Man. The animal kingdom con¬ 
sists of all creatures in whom is the breath of 
life and the power of locomotion—the beasts of 
the field, the fish of the sea, and the fowls of 
the air, including the innumerable reptile and in¬ 
sect tribes. Man, the representative of the ra¬ 
tional creation, stands at the head of all. Orig- 
i nally made lord of all, he was to “ replenish the 
earth and subdue it.” In exact proportion to his 
obedience to Divine laws, population increases, 
mprovements multiply, and all nature becomes 
162 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


163 


tributary to bis happiness. Here we see the wis¬ 
dom of Divine Providence in the adaptation of 
all things to supply the necessities of Man, into 
whose hands they were originally given. 

This mighty globe is but one vast plantation, 
given out to Man by his great Landlord. It is 
ample enough to supply all his wants, and to af¬ 
ford him leisure to develop those finer and nobler 
faculties of the mind, which belong to him as a 
rational, responsible and immortal being. He 
can organize society, build great cities, found 
mighty empires, carry on commerce with the 
whole world, and make the seas, the winds, the 
lightnings, and all the elements of Nature con¬ 
tribute to his convenience and comfort. 

Man, therefore, viewed as a species, is not an 
insignificant being. He is wonderful and almost 
fearful in his greatness. He is almost immortal. 
He has met the fearful ravages of Death, attack¬ 
ing him in a thousand forms, for nigh six thou¬ 
sand years. His Creator delights in his welfare, 
and to redeem him from sin and its eternal con¬ 
sequences, sent his own Son “ in the likeness of 
sinful flesh.” 

11 


THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 


Knowledge is one of the most prominent at¬ 
tributes of the Deity. With the Deity it is in¬ 
finite ; in man it is finite. The knowledge of 
God extends to the past and the future, without 
limit. All events are necessarily foreknown to 
Him with whom we have to do. If this were 
not so, his power, which is as extensive as his 
knowledge, would not be in harmony with it. 
His essential being consists in three persons, 
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and these three, 
though distinct, are one—one in nature, affection, 
counsel, and co-operation. 

His power, knowledge and wisdom are all made 
manifest in his works of creation, in the harmo¬ 
nious order of the whole planetary system, and 
especially in the revelation of his mind and will 
through the Holy Scriptures to man. If we 
search our own hearts, we will find that it is our 
ignorance of the nature and attributes of that 
God with whom we have to do, that leads us into 
unbelief and infidelity. 

164 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


165 


It is a part of the faith that is to save us from 
sin, to have a proper understanding of the attri¬ 
butes of the Deity. “ By faith ye are saved, 
and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. 
He that believeth shall be saved.” We are to 
believe that God is our Creator, Jesus Christ is 
our Saviour, the Holy Spirit the medium through 
which we receive the strength and ability to ob¬ 
tain eternal life, and -work the works of God in 
the world. This faith alone enables us to over¬ 
come the works of the devil, to hold out faithful 
to the end, and obtain at the end the victor’s 
crown, and sing the sweet song of Moses and the 
Lamb, w T ith all the redeemed, through the count¬ 
less ages of eternity. 


AUTHENTICITY OF THE BIBLE. 


The truth of Divine Revelation is a subject of 
the greatest importance, one in which our future 
destiny is involved, both for time and eternity. 
If the Bible is the inspired word of God, it must 
control and decide everything. It can admit of 
no rival authority. It opens to us the path to 
happiness in the life that now is and in that which 
is to come. It is the great chart, on which are 
laid down all the land-marks and guide-posts of 
our journey to the better world. The wander- 
ing pilgrim, bewildered amidst the sorrows and 
cares of life, and assailed by temptations on every 
hand, here finds a thoroughly informed and faith¬ 
ful guide. It is to him the star of hope. Or, 
to change the figure, amidst the storms and toss¬ 
ings of Life’s troubled sea, it is his support as 
well as his chart: an anchor of the soul, both 
sure and steadfast. It is his instrument of ob¬ 
servation and his glass of discovery, opening up 
to his benighted vision the scenes around and be¬ 
fore him, and revealing to him the glory and 
166 



LITERARY REMAINS. 


167 


power, the wisdom and love of the God whom the 
heaven of heavens cannot contain, and who fills 
the earth with the munificent distributions of 
blessings suited to the wants of all the creatures 
he has made. 

Well might an inspired writer say, “The good¬ 
ness of God leadeth us to repentance.” It cer¬ 
tainly ought to; and if it does not, it is not his 
fault. The very heathen are without excuse. 
How much less we, who are in possession of the 
oracles of God! 

I feel as if I should not blacken this paper with 
ink to be under- the necessity of proving the au¬ 
thenticity of the Bible. But it appears to me 
that the understanding of man is so deplorably 
corrupted by sin and captivated by the devil and 
his works, that he often loves ignorance better 
than wisdom, and the works of the devil better 
than the manifestations of the goodness of God. 
I sometimes thin]*: that the strongest proof of the 
authenticity of the Scriptures is the power of 
Gospel truth to convert wicked men from the 
ways of infidelity and unbelief to faith in Jesus 
Christ, so that they bring forth the fruits meet 
for repentance. 

But there are many more irresistible proofs on 
this point, which may be noticed practically, with¬ 
out going into any long logical argument. A 


168 


TIIE YOUNG STUDENT. 


fool might ask many questions, which the wisest 
man cannot answer. So in arguing with skep¬ 
tics, we sometimes find it best to use sarcasm, 
and answer them according to their folly. For 
it is the fool, who hath said in his heart, “ There 
is no God,” and therefore no revelation from 
Him. 

To suppose that this world, the planetary sys¬ 
tem, and all animal and vegetable life, and all 
that we see and behold and are capable of attain¬ 
ing, came into being without a Creator—a su¬ 
preme, intelligent First Cause—what is it but 
the most stupendous folly? But if God made 
us, is it supposable that the same Being who made 
us and all these things for our convenience and 
happiness, would not inform us of our origin and 
place us under systematic laws and regulations 
by which we might be governed, and discern the 
beauty of the laws by which he governs all his 
works? Would any sane man suppose that God 
would leave the noblest work of his hands on 
earth, with intelligence, however limited, yet kin¬ 
dred to his own, to roam like the wild boar in the 
wilderness, without a ray of light from on high 
to beam on his benighted soul? 0 Infidel! let 
shame and confusion of face cover thee from 
the light of that sun who pays his daily visits to 
our earth—the bright emblem of the love of God 
to man. 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


169 


We see the truth of Divine Revelation in the 
history of the Jewish people in manifold ways] 
But the best, perhaps, of all the evidences, is 
found in the results on the race of mankind, if it 
were believed and carried out. What it has ac¬ 
complished already in individuals and communi¬ 
ties, shows what it might accomplish if univer¬ 
sally received. Sin of any kind always brings 
punishment. But the Bible opens up a new and 
living way by which we may escape the conse¬ 
quences of our past sins; and by embracing the 
Gospel we become partakers at once of hope and 
of holiness, of happiness here and of heaven 
hereafter. . 


ON UNIVERSAL SALVATION.* 


The doctrine of universal salvation is not the 
doctrine of the Bible. 1. Becafuse it encourages 
immorality and licentiousness. 2. Because the 
preaching of it would convert no man. 3. Be¬ 
cause many of those who have professed to be¬ 
lieve it have renounced it, either on a dying bed 
or before; and others have been led from bad to 
worse, till they became confirmed infidels, and 
have died an example of their own folly: making 
themselves wiser than is written, they are given 
over to believe a lie, that they may be damned. 
2 Thess. ii: 11, 12. 4. Because it is an enemy 

to holiness, without which no man shall see the 
Lord. 5. Because the devil was the first Uni- 
versalist preacher in our world, and he is a liar 

* This discussion on Universal Salvation took place 
in the year 1838, in Lower Providence, and elicited 
much interest among all classes of the community. It 
resulted in the complete success of the negative. Uni- 
versalism has never since that day, in that neighbor¬ 
hood, attempted to face the truth of the Bible'on that 
subject. 

170 




LITERARY REMAINS. 


171 


from the beginning. 6. Because Jesus Christ 
has said, he that believeth and is baptized shall 
be saved, and he that believeth not shall be 
damned. 7. Because the Bible recognizes but 
two classes of character, the good and the wicked; 
the righteous shall inherit life eternal, and the 
•wicked eternal damnation. # Luke xvi: 23, Isaiah 
lxvi: 24, Matt, viii: 12, xiii: 49, Daniel xii: 2, 
John v: 29. 8. Because, rejecting this divine 

testimony, there is but one step more that the 
Universalist has to take and he is a confirmed 
Infidel. 9. Because, if true, the Infidel is better 
off, in many respects, than the Christian, and hy¬ 
pocrites than the most sincere. Judas, whom 
our Saviour said was a devil and a thief from the 
beginning, when he hung himself, went right to 
heaven; while the other apostles had to spend a 
life of toil and privation in preaching the gospel 
and in the end to seal their doctrine with their 
blood. 10. Because our Saviour has said the 
wicked shall receive their portion in this life, and 
the righteous in that which is to come. 11. Be¬ 
cause the Universalists say that sin is a blessing, 
but the Bible says that God cannot look on sin 
with allowance, and that nothing unholy or un¬ 
clean shall enter heaven. 12. Because Univer¬ 
salists say that a man may lie, steal, be an adul¬ 
terer, a murderer, he may set his neighbor’s 


172 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


house on fire, he maj murder his own children, 
and then, if he is likely to he detected, he may 
plunge a dagger in his own breast, and go right 
to heaven. Whereas the Bible says they shall have 
their portion in the lake that burns with fire and 
brimstone, where the false prophets are. Bev. 
xxi. “ Tell it not in Gath,” that a man profess¬ 
ing to believe the doctrines of the Bible should in¬ 
culcate such doctrines as these. 13. Because I 
never knew of any one imbibing Universalist 
principles from reading his Bible; but on the 
contrary, have known and heard of many re¬ 
nouncing them by reading the Bible with a spirit 
of candor. 14. Because they who believe Univer- 
salism question the justice as well as the truth of 
God. 15. Because it is a doctrine that condemns 
itself; for if true, (which even the most sanguine 
of its professors doubt) it is still the most perni¬ 
cious of all doctrines professed by the different 
denominations of Christians; and the Universal¬ 
ist has reason to dread the most awful consequen¬ 
ces if it is not true. Whereas the orthodox have 
nothing to fear or lose, even if their belief in this 
respect be ill grounded. 

We will come now to discuss the strength of 
the arguments that have been brought forward 
by our opponent to substantiate his doctrine. 1. 
The words “all men” in Romans v: 18, xi: 
26-36. 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


173 


From the fifth chapter to the twelfth, the apos¬ 
tle is speaking of justification by faith, in believ¬ 
ing on Christ Jesus : “ Wherefore being justified 
by faith, we have peace with God through our 
Lord Jesus Christ.” We must, therefore, con¬ 
sider on what subject the inspired penman wrote, 
and apply it accordingly. All men, we therefore 
conclude, are justifiable in believing in Christ, 
x: 13. 

Our opponent has produced the twenty-fourth 
chapter of Matthew to prove that the judgment 
is past, or going on, and that the judgments of 
God are all temporal; and he draws this infer¬ 
ence from the thirty-fourth verse : “ Verily I say 
unto you, this generation shall not pass till all 
these things be fulfilled.” The end of the world, 
he says, is the end of the old dispensation. We 
must notice here, in reply, that Christ was re¬ 
quested to answer two questions in the third 
verse: “ Tell us when shall these things be ? and 
what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the 
end of the world ?” Christ, in the thirty-fourth 
verse, answers the question in reference to Jeru¬ 
salem; in the thirty-sixth, the question in refer¬ 
ence to the end of the world. It is true that the 
end of the world to every man is his death; that 
we all ought to live in reference to the judgment 
day. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but 


174 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


after that the judgment.” Heb. ix: 27. This 
is a plain passage to prove that temporal judg¬ 
ments have nothing to do with the judgment of 
the great day, when the dead shall be raised. 
Matt, xxv: 31. 

Our opponent has denied that man incurred 
anything in the partaking of the forbidden tree 
except temporal death. He says that Christ 
came to save from this death. He makes use of 
the fifteenth chapter of First Corinthians to 
prove this position. Here we are prepared to 
prove conclusively that Adam died a spiritual 
death, and that on the very day he took of the 
forbidden fruit. Gen. ii: 16, 17. “And the 
Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every 
tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat. But 
'of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil 
thou shalt not eat of it. For in the day that 
thorn eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Here 
the devil preached his first Universalist sermon. 
“And the serpent said unto the woman, Thou 
shalt not surely die: for God doth know that in 
the day thou eateth thereof thine eyes shall be 
opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good 
and evil.” Mark here, first the command, then 
the penalty. The command was a prohibition; 
immediate death was the penalty. Here we will 
take the devil’s language for a proof of this: 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


175 


“ Ye shall not surely die. But in the day ye eat 
thereof your eyes shall be opened.” Now mark, 
He says they sha’nt die, they sha’nt die a tempo¬ 
ral death ; but their eyes shall be opened. But 
how ? Previous to this they knew nothing but 
good; now they know both good and evil, if we 
take the devil’s word for it. From this moment 
we find that man has been ashamed of his Maker. 

It is not true that time was not computed by days 
previous to this. Even the Sabbath was estab¬ 
lished, and the different days from the creation 
of the world; and to suppose that Adam should 
have the latitude of a thousand years before the 
penalty of the prohibition should take effect, is 
ridiculous and not worth noticing. Yet for the 
sake of satisfying every mind we will refer to 
2 Peter iii: 7, to the last of the chapter; the in¬ 
ference is that although a thousand years is .as 
one day with the Lord, it is not so with man, who 
is finite and God is infinite. See Psalm3 xc : 4. 
“ For a thousand years in thy sight are but as 
yesterday when it is past, and a3 a watch in the 
night.” 

It is very evident that the doctrine of Univer¬ 
sal Salvation is not only not contained in the 
Bible, but it is plainly negatived and positively 
denied. That Christ taught this doctrine we 
deny. To say that the apostles preached such a 


176 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


doctrine has never been proven, and never can 
be. But we can prove that the doctrine of future 
punishment was taught by our Saviour, preach¬ 
ed by the apostle3, and believed by the Primi¬ 
tive Church. It is admitted by the Jews, the 
Mahometans, and even by the heathen, except a 
few Universalists, who have got their souls in¬ 
sured or fire-proof. We will now produce four 
sources of Scriptural proof of the doctrine of fu¬ 
ture punishment after death : 

1. The first source of evidence is those pas¬ 
sages that describe the state of man in contrast. 

2. The second species consists of those Scrip¬ 
tures which speak of the duration of future pun¬ 
ishment by the terms, everlasting, eternal, for¬ 
ever, and forever and ever. 

3. All those passages which express the dura¬ 
tion of future punishment by implication, or by 
forms of speech which imply the doctrine in ques¬ 
tion. 

4. The last body of evidence is drawn from 
those Scriptures which teach that the change of 
heart and a preparation for heaven are confined 
to the present life. 


SCENES OF CALVARY.* 


The Scenes of Calvary are big with the great¬ 
est and most god-like results that ever transpired 
in our world. Viewing them merely as an ab¬ 
stract of what was to follow, there is no necessity 
of any other argument to prove the divinity of 
the Author of our holy religion. As he said, 
u And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto 
me.” This attraction was not in the cross as a 
piece of wood, neither in the fact of his having 
suffered on the cross as a martyr, in testimony of 
the truth. It consists rather in the magnetism 
of his divine nature and work, and his power as 
God to accomplish that redemption for which he 
came into the world. 

Bethlehem was to be his birth-place. Jerusa¬ 
lem, the original seat of his own ministry and 
that of his Apostles. The Jewish nation were 

* The trains of discussion in this essay were suggest¬ 
ed to the author by reading the essay entitled, “ Post 
tenebras, Lux,” and its design is to establish the divin¬ 
ity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

177 






178 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


to be the first people who were to hear the ever¬ 
lasting Gospel, and to receive or reject the stamp 
of Deity impressed upon all the teachings of the 
Son of God. No other locality or people on the 
face of the earth would have answered his pur¬ 
poses. They were the chosen people of God, 
through whom Revelation was to be given to 
man. The time had arrived when the types and 
shadows that represented his coming were to 
close, and the events foreshadowed ushered in. 
The heavenly choir were heard shouting the good 
news, to a lost and ruined world, that the Saviour 
was born in Bethlehem. The Wise Men of the 
East were seen wending their way, guided by the 
star of Bethlehem, and emptying their treasures 
of gold, and frankincense and myrrh into the 
lap of the Blessed Virgin, to alleviate her wants 
and facilitate her flight into Egypt, to escape 
the designs of the blood-thirsty Herod. The de¬ 
signs of God cannot be frustrated. No doubt 
Herod thought he had accomplished his end, when 
he caused weeping and wailing at the slaughter 
of the innocents—that his cruelty had crushed out 
the hope of the world. Wicked men and devils, 
in like manner, in all ages of the world, have 
combined to root out of the earth the true doc¬ 
trines of the cross, and where they cannot de¬ 
stroy, they endeavor to modify so as to suit their 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


179 


diabolical purposes and ease their own guilty con¬ 
sciences. 

We find the child Jesus subject to the will of 
his parents, and growing in favor with God and 
man. At twelve years of age he was found in the 
temple with the doctors of divinity, asking and 
answering questions to the astonishment of all; 
his parents not knowing that the time was soon 
coming in which he was to be about his Heavenly 
Father’s business. His humanity had to be devel¬ 
oped as well as his Deity. His conduct as a man 
was to contribute an example for us to follow, as 
well as the use of his miraculous power to estab¬ 
lish his Deity. 

The time for his public ministry arrives. We 
find him entering into the arrangements for it 
systematically. His forerunner, the Baptist, an¬ 
nounced his coming, and the necessity of repent¬ 
ance towards God and faith in the approaching 
Saviour. At his baptism the testimony of the 
Holy Spirit appears in the form of the Dove, the 
emblem of peace and reconciliation between God 
and man. His retirement into the wilderness to 
be tempted, teaches us a lesson as his followers, 
that we can learn nowhere else. Every true fol¬ 
lower of his has something similar to undergo. 
He has to come off conqueror or be. conquered, 
which is a test of his sincerity. Man cannot live 


180 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


by bread alone, but by every word that proceed¬ 
ed out of the mouth of God. This is the first 
test. The next test was of his ability to with¬ 
stand the perils of his exalted position at the 
Head of the Church. The pinnacle of the Tem¬ 
ple has been fatal to the Pope of Rome, but not 
to the Son of God, who in all things has the 
pre-eminence. To the Tempter’s subtle perver¬ 
sion of the promises, he replies, Thou shalt not 
tempt the Lord thy God. Then the devil taketh 
him up into a high mountain and showeth him the 
kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. He 
offers them as a bribe to Jesus for one act of ado¬ 
ration to his vile power. Rut mark our Saviour’s 
answer: Get thee behind me, Satan; for it is 
written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, 
and him only shalt thou serve. His fasting and 
temptations had so exhausted his strength that 
we are told angels came and ministered unto him. 
This is to teach us that in our trials and tempta¬ 
tions we are not to trust to our own strength or 
abilities to overcome the Wicked One. 

The three succeeding years of his ministry 
were first a school of instruction to his disciples, 
instructing them in the great doctrines that con¬ 
stitute the rule by which we are to be governed; 
with the demonstration of his mighty power in 
healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


181 


raising the dead, turning water into wine, divin¬ 
ing the motives and doings of the Scribes and 
Pharisees. He was followed by a mighty multi¬ 
tude, anxious to behold his miracles, or to hear the 
gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth. 
He spoke as never man spoke. He taught as 
one having authority, and not as the scribes. 
His powers of elocution were irresistible; his re¬ 
bukes were addressed to men high in power, but 
guilty of abusing it; and his manner of address 
won the affections of the common people, for the 
basis of his doctrines was equality before God, 
and an equal responsibility of all conditions of 
men. Jesus taught that man was not only ac¬ 
countable for his actions, but also for his words 
and secret thoughts, and his character determined 
by the All-seeing Eye. He compared the Scribes 
and Pharisees to whited sepulchres, beautiful in¬ 
deed without, but within full of dead men’s bones 
and all uncleanness. His memorable Sermon 
on the Mount constitutes a sufficient creed for all 
Christian churches to the end of time. The 
Prayer which he taught his disciples is the only 
true criterion of acceptable petitions. 

His Church is built upon a rock. Ho power 
of men or devils can frustrate his magnificent de¬ 
signs. His w T ork must be accomplished. The 
great foundation must be laid in Zion; the cor- 


182 


TIIE YOUNG STUDENT. 


ner stone was prepared; the multitude of his 
disciples increased daily. The Jewish rulers, 
who had wilfully rejected him, now seek to lay 
violent hands upon him, hut not openly, for fear 
of the people who followed him. They conspire 
to catch him in his words, and to arrest him for 
Treason. “ Shall we render tribute unto Caesar; 
or not?” is their question : that is, shall we ac¬ 
knowledge a heathen power over us? Friend 
and foe hung breathless on his answer. He de¬ 
mands a Roman denarius—a small coin bearing 
the image and superscription of Caesar, and says, 
“ Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s 
and unto God, the things that are God’s.” His 
enemies were struck dumb. When they could 
not gainsay or question his authority as a divine 
person, they wished to make the people believe 
that he possessed Satanic powers, and cast out 
devils through Beelzebub, the prince of devils. 
His answer was, Can Satan cast out Satan ? If 
a house be divided against itself, it cannot stand. 
The thing you impute to me is an impossibility. 

The divinity of Jesus appears not only in his 
answers to his enemies, but in his questions to 
them. When the Pharisees and Lawyers de¬ 
manded by what authority he acted, he replied, 
“ I also will ask you one question. The Baptism of 
John, whence was it ? from heaven, or of men ?” 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


183 


And they were dumb before him; knowing that 
if they should say, from heaven, he would say, 
Why then did ye not believe in him? But if they 
should say, from men, they feared the people 
would stone them, because all the people held 
that John was a Prophet. 

He then solemnly charges them with holding 
the key of knowledge, but unwilling to enter the 
kingdom of Heaven themselves, and them that 
would enter, they hindered. Yet they dared not 
lay hands on him, for his hour was not yet come. 

Under the mighty burden that rested upon the 
shoulders of the Divine Redeemer, in accomplish¬ 
ing the grand design for which he left the bosom 
of the Father to visit this world of sin and sorrow, 
he was not destitute of the feelings and passions 
that belong to innocent human nature. We have 
an instance of this on the death of Lazarus. He 
could sympathize with Mary and Martha, and he 
could pour into their hearts the words of comfort 
in their great affliction. But he could do more. 
He could give them ocular demonstration of the 
doctrine of the resurrection, and show to the Jews 
that it is not only possible for the dead to rise, 
but that it is an accomplished fact, and that he 
himself is the Resurrection and the Life. In 
him all that believe shall rise at the last day to 
the life everlasting. 


184 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


His prophetic powers were exemplified in his 
foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem and the 
Temple and the Jewish ritual, and the ushering 
in of the new dispensation under the Gospel. 
The time was near -when the great tragedy of his 
death was to be consummated. He again exerts 
his authority in purifying the Temple from those 
who polluted it by traffic and merchandise, and 
said unto them, “ It is written, My house shall 
he called a house of prayer, but ye have made it 
a den of thieves.” And when the chief priests 
saw the wonderful things which he did, and the 
children crying in the Temple, “ Hosanna to the 
Son of David!” they were sore displeased, and 
said unto him, “ Hearest thou what these say ?” 
And he answered, “Yea; have ye never read, 
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou 
hast perfected praise?” Here he asserts his su¬ 
preme authority over the Temple. Here the 
prophecy is fulfilled. He came to his own, and 
his own received him not. But as many as re¬ 
ceived him, to them gave he power to become the 
sons of God. The triumphant entrance of our 
Saviour into Jerusalem is ceartainly a much 
greater triumph over the powers of darkness 
than was ever witnessed previously by mortal 
man. Csesar’s entrance into ancient Home, after 
his great conquests, was no comparison to it in 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


185 


the results which followed. Humility and power 
were both prominent features in the display. He 
rode upon a colt whereon man had never sat, the 
foal of an ass. It seemed to be at his command 
without money or price. He was Lord of all. 
The fish of the sea, at his word, could furnish 
him money to pay tribute. The cattle upon a 
thousand hills were his. 

But his work was not yet fully accomplished. 
The last Passover was to be eaten—teaching the 
Jews that what that foreshadowed was to be ful¬ 
filled ; that the Shekinah was about to depart 
from them as a nation; that the fiat had gone 
forth, and the vail of the Temple was about to 
be rent in twain. After eating the last Passover 
with his disciples, and virtually closing up the re¬ 
cords of the dispensation of Moses, he introdu¬ 
ces the new dispensation, and establishes a new 
feast of memorial, to be observed by his follow¬ 
ers to the end of time. He was to be bruised and 
broken for our transgressions, and by his stripes 
are we healed. We must preserve in reverence 
all that our Saviour said and did; for all that 
was said of Him, and foretold concerning Him, 
was nothing more nor less than what was deter¬ 
mined to be done from all eternity. Here we see 
a standard erected, the Cross of Calvary, around 
which all nations were to rally. A system was 


186 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


adopted, which was shrouded from the world; a 
lever applied, which was to turn the world upside 
down; before which Judaism, idolatry, supersti¬ 
tion, ancient priestcraft, and even the wisdom of 
the ancient philosophers were shown to be fool¬ 
ishness. 

The grand tragedy hastens on. Without the 
shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. 
The Son of God must be lifted up, that he may 
draw all men unto Him. The story of the cross 
must be complete in all its parts. A fountain 
must be opened in the house of David for the 
washing away of human guilt. It is represented 
in Scripture as the great salvation—so great that 
the greatest sinner may but look and live. The 
dying thief tested its saving power. “ I came 
not,” said Jesus, “to call the righteous, but sin¬ 
ners to repentance.” They that see themselves 
to be sinners, may trust in Jesus and not despair. 
“ The whole need not the physician, but they that 
are sick.” Religion is not designed to make our 
pleasures less, but to purify and exalt them—to 
give us something that is worth living and even 
dying for. The grandest scenes that ever the 
world of mankind beheld are now about to be 
unfolded to a gazing universe. Both Jew and 
Gentile stood aghast in view of what was to fol¬ 
low. The time had arrived in the order of events 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


187 


when the great Sacrifice was to he offered up. 
The great atonement was to be completed. The 
Jews were about to rivet the climax of their own 
destruction. The great conflict between Truth 
and the Powers of Darkness must be fought to 
its issue. The Seed of the Woman, with his 
bruised heel, was about to bruise the Serpent’s 
head. 

Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity. When 
all seemed about to be lost, when the Powers of 
Darkness seemed to envelop the whole horizon, 
and not a ray of light gleamed upon the discon¬ 
solate followers of Jesus, when one of their own 
number even, turned a traitor and betrayed his 
Lord and Master, and another denies that he 
ever knew Him, the mighty weight of the sins of 
a ruined world seemed almost insupportable for 
the incarnate Deity. “ Father, if it be possible, 
remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my 
will, but thine be done.” In his agony he sweat 
as*7t were great drops of blood. He poured out 
his soul unto death as an offering to God for sin¬ 
ners, that he might thus open a new and living 
way of reconciliation to Him. We behold the 
traitor Judas coming with a band of soldiers to 
arrest him. Jesus could have called to his aid 
twelve legions of angels, but he would not, for 
as the Lamb of God he was to bleed for the sal- 


188 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


vation of the world. He had power to lay down 
his life, and he had power to take it again. He 
displayed his power even here in a very striking 
manner. His disciples, though armed, were to 
make no resistance. He reproved Peter for 
making use of his sword, and heals the injury 
his rash blow had inflicted on the servant of the 
High Priest. He so awes the fierce soldiery that 
they retreat and fall to the ground ; yet permits 
Judas to betray him with a hypocritical kiss, and 
the trembling soldiers to bind him as a criminal. 

Jesus is now led to the hall of the High Priest, 
where the Scribes and Eulers were called to¬ 
gether, awaiting the event. His followers have 
all forsaken him. Only John hovers nigh, and 
Peter follows afar off, anxious to know what 
would become of him. Better afar off than near, 
for when he ventures within the circle of his 
Lord’s enemies, Peter’s courage fails and he 
thrice denies him. The crowing of the cock re¬ 
calls the warning of Jesus, and a look from his 
injured Lord sends him away weeping bitterly. 
Never did he forget that look of his blessed Lord 
as long as he lived. The Jews brought many ac¬ 
cusations against Jesus that dreadful night, to 
prove that he was a blasphemer; and even bribed 
men to swear falsely against him. But he an¬ 
swered not a word, and the prophecy was fulfill- 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


189 


ed, “ He was led as a lamb to the slaughter; and 
a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so he opened 
not his mouth.” 

The sin of the Jews consisted in the fact that 
they had the light of Revelation committed un¬ 
to their keeping. They had the Law and the 
Prophets to guide them; therefore they were in¬ 
excusable. Their ignorance was wilful, and their 
designs entirely selfish and devilish. Nicodemus 
and Joseph of Arimathea, were the only excep¬ 
tions among the rulers; for they appear to have 
had a ray of divine light in their hearts, and pro¬ 
tested against the course of iniquity pursued. 
God makes use of even wicked men and devils, 
against their w T ill, to carry out his designs, when 
they are seeking only to carry out their own. 
When a nation or organization, church or indi¬ 
vidual becomes so corrupt, that their principles, 
teachings, or practices are a stench in the nos¬ 
trils of the Almighty, they are generally left to 
work out their own destruction. It was so on 
this occasion. 

Although the blessed Saviour brought no de¬ 
fence against the many false accusations against 
him, he does not evade a direct answer to the 
question, “ Tell us, art thou the Christ, the Son 
of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am; and 
ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right 


190 


THE YOUNG STUDENT. 


hand of Power, and coming in the clouds of 
heaven.” The Jews now enact the last scene in 
the drama of their guilt in the person of the High 
Priest, and ratify their predicted doom in the 
words, Behold your house is left unto you deso¬ 
late. “ What further witness need we ?” he ex¬ 
claims. In the great day for which all other 
days were made, when the Son of God will come 
in the clouds of heaven, to judge the secrets of 
all hearts, his throne and character will be vindi¬ 
cated, and his unjust judges condemned. The 
guilty deeds of all who have refused to take re¬ 
fuge under the wings of his forgiving love, will 
then be brought to light. They that believe, and 
they that believe not, will then be made manifest. 

The Jews, no doubt, would have despatched 
our Saviour without any further ceremony, but 
the Gentiles were to take part in the great tra¬ 
gedy. He was to appear before Pilate, the gov¬ 
ernor of Judea, under a charge, which if estab¬ 
lished would secure an infamous death. “ Then 
led they Jesus to the judgment hall; but they went 
not in, lest they should be defiled,” in which case 
they could not eat the Passover. Pilate there¬ 
fore was obliged to go out to them. “ Tell me 
what accusation you bring against him?” he de¬ 
mands, to which they evasively reply, “If he 
were not a malefactor we would not have deliver- 


LITERARY REMAINS. 


191 


ed him to thee.” Pilate says : “ Take him and 
judge him according to your law.” To which 
they reply: “ It is not lawful for us to put any 
man to death.” Pilate therefore said unto him, 
“Art thou a King?” Then Jesus answered, 
“ Thou sayest it; I am a King. For this end 
was I born, and for this cause came I into the 
world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. 
Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” 
Pilate saith unto him, “What is truth?” and, 
without waiting for an answer, said to the Jews, 
“I find no fault with him.” Pilate had received 
a message from his wife, warning him to have 
nothing to do in condemning that just person. 
He washes his hands therefore and protests him¬ 
self innocent. The Jews fiercely exclaim, “ His 
blood be upon us and upon our children.” Pilate 
reluctantly releases to them Barabbas, a notori¬ 
ous offender against the laws, and delivers Jesus 
at their will, to be crucified. He is crowned with 
a crown of thorns, and arrayed in a purple robe, 
the habilitnents of kingly power. He is led away 
to be crucified, followed by a vast multitude. An 
inscription, written in three languages, Hebrew, 
Greek, and Latin, is nailed to his cross. Two 
thieves are crucified with him, the one on the 
right, the other on the left; the one impenitent, 
the other penitent, who prays “ Remember me 


192 ’ THE YOUNG STUDENT. 

when thou comest into thj kingdom.” Jesus re¬ 
plies, “ This day, thou shalt be with me in Para¬ 
dise.” At the same time he prays for his revil- 
ers and murderers, “ Father, forgive them, for 
they know not what they do.” 

Now the powers of earth and hell are shaken. 
The rocks are rent; the veil of the Temple is 
torn in twain; and darkness covers the whole 
land. Here we see that there was a supernatu¬ 
ral power in Christ which had to be developed, 
that there was a wheel within the wheel that had 
just been put in motion. The different parts 
were now complete, and ready to be put in work¬ 
ing order. The Spirit’s influence was about to 
descend to signalize his glorious resurrection and 
ascension. Light breaks in once more upon the 
world. “ Go ye into all the world, and preach 
the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth 
and is baptized shall be saved, and he that be¬ 
lieveth not shall be damned.” 





























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